Australian Capital Territory

Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods (Vaccinations by Pharmacists) Direction 2016 (No 2)
Disallowable instrument DI2016–21
made under the  
Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, section 352 (Authorisation for pharmacist and intern pharmacist to administer vaccine without prescription - Act, s 37 (1)(b)) 
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Section 352 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 (the MPTGR) establishes that a pharmacist is authorised to administer a vaccine to an adult without a prescription if the pharmacist administers the vaccine in accordance with a direction by the Chief Health Officer. 

That same section also provides that the Chief Health Officer may, by disallowable instrument, give directions for the administration of a vaccine to an adult without prescription by a pharmacist (or intern pharmacists). 

This instrument repeals the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods (Vaccinations by Pharmacists) Direction 2016 (No 1) to allow for a minor update in keeping with the intended scope of pharmacist vaccinations, namely that pharmacist administration of vaccines not be limited to a community pharmacy setting.  

This instrument is the second direction issued under section 352 of the MPTGR by the Chief Health Officer. The direction instructs that a pharmacist or intern pharmacist may administer a vaccine without prescription if they comply with the Pharmacist Vaccination Standards imposed by the Chief Health Officer at Schedule 1 of this instrument.

The ACT Pharmacist Vaccinations Standards (Vaccination Standards) is a Chief Health Officer direction for the purposes of section 352 of the MPTGR.  These Vaccination Standards are made for the purposes of establishing conditions and criteria under which registered pharmacists may initiate administration of the seasonal influenza vaccine to adults in the absence of a supply authority (prescription).  The development of Vaccination Standards relating to pharmacist vaccinations is consistent with the approach taken by other Australian states and territories and takes into consideration targeted stakeholder consultation in 2015. 

The ACT Vaccination Standards outline the need for administering pharmacists to comply with the following three components: 
•	Completion of appropriate training to administer vaccination; 
•	Practice standards; and 
•	Appropriate record keeping. 

Part A of the Vaccination Standards specifies the training requirements for pharmacists to be authorised to administer vaccines in the ACT.  These training requirements are considered to be consistent with the minimum training standards required in other Australian jurisdictions. 

The second part of the Vaccination Standards provides an outline of general administration; premises, staffing and equipment; and administration area requirements.  Part B is also broadly consistent with the requirements outlined in other Australian jurisdictions and highlights the requirements for post-vaccination observation by a pharmacist who has successfully completed the training requirements specified under Part A of the Vaccination Standards. 

Part C of the Vaccination Standards sets out recording keeping requirements for pharmacists and pharmacies. This part of the Vaccinations Standards is largely aligned with the record requirements in other Australian jurisdictions.  This final part also requires pharmacists or pharmacies to supply a record to the Chief Health Officer about the number of vaccinations administered.  This additional information will support ACT Health’s assessment of local immunisation rates and better direct future public health campaigns and initiatives.