Good news just in time for World Immunisation Week: AHPRA-registered Aboriginal Health Practitioners and Workers can now deliver immunisations to Community.
The first cohort of Aboriginal Health Practitioners (AHPs) graduated from VACCHO’s inaugural immunisation course on 9 April, making them fully qualified to administer vaccines to Mob. It marks the beginning of a new age in Aboriginal healthcare and will be invaluable for improving Community’s health outcomes.
For Community, it means less travel time to hospitals for vaccinations. And more time spent in comfortable, culturally appropriate spaces.
It all comes after the Victorian Government changed the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 and subsequent Regulations to allow AHPRA-registered Aboriginal Health Practitioners (AHPs) to complete their National Immunisation Program training.
This landmark decision comes after 15 years of strong lobbying and advocacy by VACCHO, ACCOs, AHPs and Elders – and marks a major shift in the way Community can access vaccines and immunisations.
All AHPs who want to upskill can complete a nationally accredited immunisation program to be qualified to administer culturally safe immunisations to Community in line with the scope of other Australian practitioners.
There are several education providers in Victoria delivering this program, including VACCHO’s Education and Training unit. It has partnered with Benchmarque Group to deliver the five-day course at VACCHO’s Collingwood base.
VACCHO would like to celebrate the hard work of Members and AHPs to get this change across the line. And extend our thanks to the Allan Labor Government, and the Department of Health and State Member for Geelong and Parliamentary Secretary for First Peoples, Christine Couzens MP.
Keen to know more? Check out VACCHO’s RTO accredited courses
