The programme is focused on increasing COVID-19 and Influenza vaccinations among vulnerable people within our Western NSW region via an in-reach service.

WNSW PHN will provide brokerage to General Practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHO) who will provide an in-reach vaccination service to vulnerable persons. This includes in-reach to Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) residents.

• People aged 65 years or over
• Residents of Residential Aged Care Facilities
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Homeless (or at risk of homelessness) people – including those living on the streets, in emergency accommodation, boarding houses or between temporary shelters
• People from ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds – especially asylum seekers and refugees and those in older age groups who may find it difficult to use other vaccination services
• People with disability
• Homebound individuals – people who are frail and cannot leave home
• People in socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances
• non-Medicare eligible patients – those who do not have a Medicare card or are not eligible for Medicare, including visa-holders
• People in rural and remote areas with limited healthcare options, including those who cannot travel to a regional centre
• Aged care and disability workers – with consideration to all auxiliary staff working on-site
• Children aged 5-11 who have complex needs – who are not captured by another suitable vaccination channel, and
• Any other vulnerable groups identified as requiring dedicated support to access vaccinations

General practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations that have a current structure, protocol, and clinical governance to facilitate in-reach services.

Practices can engage their practice nurses, nurse practitioners or GPs to provide in-reach vaccinations in this model.

Clinical staff providing direct care to patients must hold the appropriate registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) – nursing staff minimum qualification is Registered Nurse Division 1. Clinical staff will have no restrictions or conditions on their AHPRA registration. If two health professionals attend the in-reach vaccination service, the practice can only make one claim.

Nurse immunisers can administer influenza vaccines to children 5+ years and over. If a child is aged 6 months to under 5 years of age, a GP must administer the vaccines.

Staff must also hold appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance, and will maintain all other relevant insurances e.g., public liability, worker’s compensation, motor vehicle etc., or be covered by their employer’s insurance.

General Practices and ACCHOs will be paid a $250.00 / $150.00 fee for each in-reach vaccination service provided, however the practice is unable to bill an MBS item in addition to this. This fee includes an amount for reporting requirements to be met and is a flat fee for all visits.

For both RACF and private homes, each additional patient seen after the initial patient will be remunerated at $150.00. For example:

• General Practitioner or Practice Nurse visiting a RACF: First resident $250.00 all additional residents will be remunerated at $150.00 each.
• General Practitioner or Practice Nurse visiting a private home: First patient $250.00, all additional people/children will be remunerated at $150.00 each.

Yes, however the same fee structure per visit will apply.

No, the fee for service includes travel.

Payment will be provided on submission of a monthly invoice including a report provided by WNSW PHN. A WNSW PHN template for reporting and invoicing will be supplied to participating practices. This report and invoice should be emailed to accounts@wnswphn.org.au on the last working day of the month.

General Practices and ACCHOs will need to provide clear reporting of service contacts as per WNSW PHN monthly activity reporting template. This report will include but is not limited to:

• Date visit occurred
• Time taken
• Vaccines administered

Please note: WNSW PHN reserves the right to use the data provided through reports to conduct an audit, to ensure the program is being delivered as intended. This may require the practice to provide evidence that an in-reach vaccination service occurred, e.g., through presentation of clinical notes during an onsite audit.

SLK means 'statistical linkage key'. The SLK is generated by inputting the patient's name, date of birth and gender into an SLK generator. The SLK generated is not re-identifiable.

Using an SLK means the practice does not need to send sensitive patient data in order to claim. The SLK will allow WNSW PHN to understand how many unique patients have benefited from the program.

SLKs are very easy to generate. Visit this link: Primary Mental Health Care - Minimum Data Set (pmhc-mds.net) and enter the patient’s full name, date of birth and gender. The webpage will then provide the SLK which can be copied to clipboard and pasted into the reporting document. The website does not save the patient's details.