Maternal & Child Health
Immunisation
Immunisation Sessions
Is Your Child One or Two Years Old?
Then they should get a free dose of the new pnemococcal vaccine available from 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012.
Children receive the pnemococcal vaccine at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. A new version of the vaccine has been introduced for children that protects against more types of bacteria that cause pnemococcal disease. Babies now get the new vaccine in Victoria as part of their regular immunisation schedule.
Children who received the pnemococcal vaccine before the 1st July 2011 would have been vaccinated with the old pnemococcal vaccine and therefore should have a free supplementary dose of the new vaccine between 1 October and 30 September 2012.
The vaccine is available to eligiable children between the ages of 1 and 2 years at all of the City of Port Phillips immunisation sessions.
Is Your Child 4 Years Old?
Children who have turned 4 years old are due for their boosters as recommended by the National Immunisation Program:
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis and Polio (Infanrix IPV)
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella (Priorix)
If your child has turned 4 and has not previously received the boosters, it is now time for you to ensure these children are immunised. The boosters are available at any of the Council Immunisation Sessions - Refer to the Immunisation Schedule 2012. Appointments are not necessary, however, it is important to bring your child's immunisation book or history to the session.
You will automatically receive a history statement from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) after your child has received their boosters. This history statement is used as the school entry immunisation status certificate.
FREE whooping cough vaccine for parents of newborn babies
Parents can protect their newborn baby from whooping cough by protecting themselves with a free vaccine.
The vaccine is available free until 30 June 2012 to parents, adoptive parents and foster parents of newborn babies born after 15 June 2009. To be eligible for the free vaccine, you must meet the eligibility crieteria.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly infectious disease causing a severe, persistent cough. Whooping cough can lead to complications such as pneumonia, bleeding, convulsions, coma and permanent brain and lung damage can occur. Around one in 200 children under 6 months of age who contract the disease will die.
Babies are at risk from whooping cough as no protection is passed from the mother to the newborn through breastfeeding or pregnancy. Babies do not have sufficient protection until the 3 dose course of the vaccine (Infanrix Hexa) is completed.
The whooping cough vaccine is available for adults in Australia as Boostrix (Adult diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) and is available at all of our Council Sessions or through your GP (a consultation fee may apply). No appointment is necessary, however, the vaccine should be administered as soon as possible after the birth of your baby.
Should other adult household contacts wish to also be vaccinated with this vaccine a fee of $42 applies. Below is a fact sheet and payment form that is to be completed and paid at Council Cashier before attending a session.
Criteria for use of Government Free Vaccines
The 'Criteria for use of government vaccine' has been reviewed and updated and was implemented on 1 March 2010.
City of Port Phillip vaccinates in accordance with the National Immunisation Program Schedule and will only vaccinate people who meet the Criteria for use of government vaccines.
To be eligible to receive free vaccines, the vaccinee must reside in Australia and meets at least one of the following criteria:
1. Hold a Medicare card or be eligible to hold a Medicare card
2. Hold Australian citizenship
3. Hold a permanent visa or have applied for a permanent visa
Schedule variation:
A parent choosing an alternate vaccine schedule will need to purchase the individual vaccine on prescription if the age eligibility is outside the criteria listed and have their child vaccinated through a GP. An example is a parent choosing to to have the hepatitis B component and hence refusing Infanrix hexa vaccine. Council does not provide user pay vaccines for schedule variations.
Criteria for use of Government Free Vaccines
Immunisation Sessions
City of Port Phillip provides 7 immunisation sessions each month at 6 different venues across the municipality. Remember to bring your child's health record book to all sessions.
To be eligible for these free childhood vaccinations the Criteria for use of Government Free Vaccines must be met.
Immunisation_schedule_2012.pdf
Have You Changed Your Postal Address?
If you have recently moved house or changed your postal address, it is important that you inform Medicare Australia and Council of your new address. This ensures your childs immunisation records are correctly maintained on the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR). It is important to prevent constant unnecessary letters being sent and to ensure your childs records are available when they are most needed, when starting school or when travelling.
Medicare can be contacted on 132 011
Immunisation
Immunisation helps children stay healthy by helping to protect them against harmful infections before they come into contact with them in the community.
It not only protects individuals but also others in the community, by increasing the general level of immunity and minimising the spread of infection. Immunisation uses the body's natural defence mechanism - the immune response - to build resistance to infectious diseases. Thirteen diseases can be prevented by routine childhood immunisation - diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis (polio), measles, mumps, rubella (german measles), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B, meningococcal C, pneumococcal, Rotavirus and varicella (chickenpox).
The City of Port Phillip offers a comprehensive community immunisation program for children and adults. All vaccinations, which are in accordance with the National Immunisation Program Schedule, are offered free of charge, provided the Criteria for use of Government Free Vaccines is met.
If you have any queries regarding immunisation, please contact Council's Health Services Unit on 9209 6292.
National Immunisation Program Schedule (Victorian January 2010)
In Victoria, from 1 January 2010, the routine schedule of vaccines provided free under the National Immunisation Program is detailed in the link below. Here you will find which vaccine a child is due for and at what age a child can receive the vaccine.
Please note that preterm babies born less than 28 weeks gestation or less than 2kg birth weight require additional doses of some vaccines. Further details regarding your childs information will be provided to you prior to the vaccines being administered, at the immunisation session.
National Immunisation Program Schedule
Overseas Immunisations
If your child has had vaccines overseas you will need to:
- Notify the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) and Medicare of the vaccines recieved overseas. The Council Immunsiaton Coordinator can arrange this for you.
- An appointment should be made to have your records checked with the Health Office PRIOR TO ATTENDING an immunisation session. Contact the Health Services Unit on 9209 6292 to make an appointment.
- All original immunisation records from overseas must be brought to the meeting. Various paperwork is to be completed to establish whether your child requires additional vaccines as recommended by the National Immunisation Program. The information will be sorted and explained to you.
Please understand we do not have the time to process overseas vaccines at an immunisation session.
If you are returning overseas without completing the Australian Schedule it is important to notify the Health Services Unit on 03 9209 6292. Please take the time to do this as it allows your history to be put on hold with the Australian Childhood Immunisation Registrar and prevent mail being sent out to your old address.
Travel Vaccines
Follow the link below for information regarding immunisation prior to travelling.
Optional Users Pays Vaccines
Can we be vaccinated for vaccines outside of the Australian Immunisation Schedule?
Council provide various vaccines to the general public, including children and babies. All the vaccines are offered at a non profit cost as described int he attached forms.
Payment for these vaccines MUST be made prior to attend an immunisation session by filling in the applicable form and submitting with payment to our cashier. Application forms are also available at St Kilda, South Melbourne and Port Melbourne Town Halls. The cashier will issue you with a receipt which you will need to bring to the immunisation session.
Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR)
The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) is a national database that keeps a record of your child's immunisations.
Immunisation providers (such as G.P.s or Councils) report your child's immunisations to the ACIR. A history statement of all your child's immunisations is automatically posted out to you at 1, 2 and 5 years of age.
The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register now supplies a history statement that acts as a School Entry Immunisation Status Certificate. It is automatically posted out to you once your child has completed the 4-year-old immunisations and has completed all required childhood immunisations.
You may track your child's immunisation history online from Medicare's Online Health information pages at Medicare - Keeping track of your childs Immunisation records You may also contact ACIR to query your child's immunisation history on 1800 653 809.
School Entry Immunisation Status Certificates
Starting Primary School?
Your child MUST HAVE A SCHOOL ENTRY IMMUNISATION STATUS CERTIFICATE when enrolling for primary school.
It is important that your childs infant immunisation history is recorded with the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) to ensure a School Entry Certificate is available to enrol your child in school.
What is a School Entry Certificate?
It is a specific document which shows the status of your child's record of immunisation, whether complete or incomplete. It is a legal requirement to provide a school entry immunisation status certificate on enrolment to primary school in Victoria. It will assist health authorities in protecting children in the event of a vaccine preventable disease occurrence in school. An unvaccinated child may be excluded from school for a period of time.
How do I obtain a School Entry Immunisation Status Certificate?
You will automatically receive a history statement from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) after your child has completed the 4-year-old vaccine schedule and has completed all childhood immunisations required.
If your child has completed all immunisations but you have not received a history statement call ACIR on 1800 653 809 to find out why.
If for some reason your child's immunisation records are incomplete or missing contact ACIR, your GP or local council immunisation service.
If your child has never been vaccinated or was vaccinated overseas, then contact your GP or local council immunisation services who will be able to assist you in obtaining a school entry immunisation status certificate. For the City of Port Phillip call (03) 9209 6383.
The history statement sent by ACIR should state at the bottom of the page "This child has received all vaccines required by 5 years of age." If it does, this history statement becomes a school entry immunisation certificate.
Who do I give the School Entry Immunisation Certificate to?
Once you have obtained your school entry immunisation certificate you will need to present it to your child's primary school on enrolment.
If you have lost the school entry immunisation certificate issued by the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) ring 1800 653 809 to obtain another copy. It is important that the ACIR has your current address details to make sure you receive your School Entry Immunisation certificate.
If you are moving, or have recently moved, contact ACIR on 1800 653 809 to update your contact details.
Things you need to know about sessions!
City of Port Phillip Immunisation Service provides vaccinations in accordance with the National Immunisation Program Schedule and in accordance with the
What do I need to bring to a session?
All immunisation records for the child/adult being immunised and a current Medicare card with your child's name. If your childs name is not on your Medicare card, you will need to register with Medicare. To do this contact medicare or collect a Medicare registration kit from your maternal child health nurse.
If you are attending for pre-paid vaccinations, you must also bring your receipt received from Councils cashier. We will record all vaccination details on the computer and in your record book and inform you when the next vaccinations are due.
Please ensure you have already completed an immunisation consent card and left it with your Maternal and Child Health Nurse before attending the session. Ask your Maternal and Child Health Nurse for help. For contact information, go to our Maternal and Child Health Centres section.
Your child's immunisation records are valuable documents throughout their life - always keep them up to date and in a safe place.
If you are being vaccinated by your local Doctor, please take in your baby's history book to ensure that the vaccines are recorded in the book and stamped or signed by the doctor. It can also be a good idea to ask your Doctor to send the data of what vaccines you received on your visit to the Australian Immunisation Register.
This ensures that the register has all your records up to date whether done by council or your Doctor.
If your records are unclear, mixed up, from overseas or you have received a letter from The Australian Immunisation Register, please contact the Immunisation Coordinator on (03) 9209 6777, and arrange a time to bring your records in. Please ensure this occurs prior to an immunisation session.
Do I need an appointment?
Appointments are not necessary for any session held within the municipality. However, we can not assist anyone arriving later than the closing times specified.
Can I pay for vaccines requiring payment at an immunisation session?
No. All payments must be made at a cashiers located at either the South Melbourne, Port Melbourne or St Kilda Town Halls.
Does the council keep immunisation records for vaccinations administered by doctors?
No. All providers of vaccinations are required to forward the information to a central records department in Canberra called the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR). For immunisation status queries, or questions about the register and reminder service, you can contact the ACIR on free call 1800 653 809.
How much time does immunisation take?
After receiving initial vaccinations, it is recommended you wait at least 15 minutes for nursing staff to monitor your child/self. Please arrive at an immunisation session at least 15 minutes before the scheduled finishing time. We cannot assist anyone after the closing time stipulated on the Immunisation Schedule.
How are the sessions run?
On entry you will need to take a number and have a seat until your number is called. The immunisation coordinator and one of the health services officers will check your record book and determine the vaccines that are due.
The vaccines you have on that day are recorded onto the computer and are sent to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR).You will then be directed to the medical staff to proceed with the vaccinations. The medical staff double check what is to be given prior to vaccines being administered.
The medical staff are available to answer any questions you may have prior to the vaccines being administered. Once the vaccines are administered you will be asked to wait at least 15 minutes before leaving the session.
Immunisation Factsheets
The following Immunisation Fact Sheets provide essential information about each Immunisation.
Victorian Governemnt Health Information - Immunisation Factsheets
More information
All information regarding vaccines can be viewed on the Department of Human Services website at:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation
Information on the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) is available on the website at
www1.hic.gov.au/general/acircirghome
Contact Us or use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. Ask for Health Services.
Criteria for use of Government Free Vaccines
