Tasmanian Immunisation Strategy 2019-24: A collaborative approach

Ms Fran Tiplady1

1Department Of Health

Abstract:

The Tasmanian Immunisation Strategy 2019-24 will guide our approach to publicly-funded immunisation in Tasmania over the next 5 years. The Strategy has been developed in the context of the National Immunisation Strategy for Australia 2019-24, national policy, local needs, and with extensive stakeholder consultation.

The Strategy identifies 5 strategic priorities, each with underlying objectives and key actions:

  1. Improve immunisation coverage
  2. Ensure an adequately skilled immunisation workforce
  3. Enhance monitoring and evaluation of immunisation programs
  4. Strengthen governance and engagement with our partners
  5. Maintain community confidence in immunisation.

Collaboration of a range of healthcare professionals providing vaccines in a variety of settings in Tasmania is key to addressing each of these priorities.

The Tasmanian Poisons Regulations 2008 enable Authorised Immunisers to independently administer certain vaccines without a medical order. Authorised Immunisers are registered nurses, midwives and pharmacists who have completed an approved educational qualification in immunisation and practice in accordance with an Immunisation Program Approval from the Department of Health.

Medical practitioners, Authorised Immunisers, and the Department of Health have collaborated in developing and are now involved in implementing this Strategy, to maintain and expand safe and trusted protection of Tasmanians from vaccine-preventable diseases.


Biography:

Fran Tiplady is a registered nurse and has worked in the acute clinical setting in Victoria, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. She undertook a Masters of Public Health at the University of Sydney and began working at the Victorian Department of Health in 2014, initially as a Public Health Officer, then as the Manager of Investigation and Response in the Health Protection Branch.  Fran moved to Tasmania in April 2019 to take up the newly created role of Nurse Manager in the Communicable Disease Prevention Unit of the Department of Health.