There is a pilot program in South Australia starting in December 2025 looking at influenza, RSV, Covid and Shingles vaccination rates in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs).

The focus of the pilot program is to educate RACFs and their residents about TGA recommended vaccines, increase vaccination rates in RACF/s and to use the learnings to support future vaccination models, potentially on a national scale. The pilot program will operate through 2026 with multiple touch points at participating RACFs.
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Influenza
In 2024, there were 366,000 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza nationally. This was the highest number of laboratory-confirmed cases recorded on the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) since records began. In South Australia, there were 22,800 cases. To compare this to other States and Territories, the notification rate per 100,000 inhabitants, puts South Australia fourth behind NSW, QLD and the NT, and above the National average.

For RACFs, the influenza vaccination rate varies significantly amongst RACFs. There is recent data, on a National and State/Territory basis, but is limited to residents that are linked with their vaccination record on the Australian Immunisation Registry. The data is also limited to capturing vaccination rates from 1 January 2024 to 18 June 2024.

This program is based on coordination and communication between each RACF and the Immunisation Service Provider. The Provider is likely the same Provider as last year; either a GP, a nurse immuniser appointed by the facility, a pharmacist or another qualified immuniser. The program is not intended to reinvent the wheel or to change current Providers, rather to have visibility of the Provider and to vaccinate residents as efficiently as possible. If there is no nominated Provider (for whatever reason), a Provider is sourced for you.

This is an important pilot program with a sole focus on identifying systems and vaccination rates in RACF’s, to help with future vaccination modelling to help protect residents (and staff) from catching the flu and the complications that come with it.

Sincerely,

Dr Rodney Pearce AM
Chairman of the Board - Immunisation Coalition

Dr Andrew Minton
CEO - Immunisation Coalition

Dr Susan Pearce
CEO - Australian General Practice Network

https://www.immunisationcoalition.org.au/about-us/
https://www.agpn.org.au/about