What are the changes?
New national guidelines for yellow fever vaccination centres and providers
The Australian Government Department of Health has developed National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers. The guidelines aim to provide a nationally consistent approach to yellow fever vaccination and provide guidance on minimum requirements for yellow fever vaccination and accreditation procedures. The guidelines include changes to yellow fever accreditation requirements for yellow fever vaccination centres and practitioners.
What are the changes to yellow fever vaccination accreditation?
Individual practitioners prescribing yellow fever vaccination are required to successfully complete the online Yellow Fever Vaccination Learning Module every three years.
The Course is no longer hosted on the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) online learning platform.
From 1 October 2024, the online Yellow Fever Vaccination Learning and Accreditation Course (formerly the Yellow Fever Vaccination Course) will be available for practitioners to undertake. The course is now hosted by the Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control at the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (the department). Practitioners can access the course via the yellow fever vaccination course link on Yellow fever.
Please note: Practitioners who have completion certificates awarded by ACRRM will remain valid until the expiry date specified on the certificate.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres will be required to maintain a log of all practitioners prescribing the vaccine and evidence that they have successfully completed the online Yellow Fever Vaccination Learning Module. NSW Health will receive a training log from the Australian Department of Health to monitor compliance against the new training requirements. Any change of details including change of individual practitioners must be notified to MOH-vaccreports@health.nsw.gov.au within 7 days using the change of details.
Nurse practitioners will now be able to seek accreditation to prescribe the yellow fever vaccine, providing it is within their scope of practice.
Why have these changes occurred?
The National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers aim to strengthen yellow fever accreditation in Australia and ensure individual practitioners are adequately trained to safely administer yellow fever vaccination for travellers.
Further information can be found on the Australian Department of Health website.
When do the changes come into effect?
On 26 November 2018, the new training requirement for prescribers of the yellow fever vaccine will be introduced along with new National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers.
Existing Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre providers are required to complete the course within the next three years, i.e. by 26 November 2021 and provide evidence of completion to their Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres will be required to provide details of all their practising yellow fever vaccine providers to their local public health unit.
New applications for approval as a Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre will require evidence of completion of the course for all practitioners seeking to prescribe the yellow fever vaccination at the centre.
Summary of key changes
| Medical Practitioners | Only administer the vaccine at an accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre | - Successfully complete the online course
- Provide the certificate of completion to the accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre in which you intend to practise
- Only administer the vaccine at an accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre (except in rare circumstances where it may be given in a hospital)
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| Nurse Practitioners | No authority to prescribe yellow fever vaccination | - Ensure yellow fever vaccination is within your scope of practice
- Successfully complete the online course
- Provide the certificate of completion to the Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre where you intend to practise
- Only administer the vaccine at an accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre (except in rare circumstances where it may be given in a hospital)
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| Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres | - Seek approval from your local public health unit and maintain conditions of appointment
- Notify your state/territory health authority of any change of details.
| - Seek approval from your local public health unit and maintain conditions of appointment
- Notify NSW Health of any change of details within 7 days using the new change of details form.
- Maintain a log of all practitioners prescribing the vaccine and evidence that they have successfully completed the online Yellow Fever Vaccination Learning Module. Note: NSW Health will receive a training log from the Australian Department of Health to monitor compliance against the new training requirements.
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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
For more information please refer to Yellow fever vaccination centres and providers frequently asked questions.
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