GPII provides financial incentives to general practitioners (GPs) that monitor, promote and provide age appropriate immunisation services to children under the age of seven years. The overall aim of the GPII scheme is to encourage at least 90 per cent of practices to achieve 90 per cent proportions of full immunisation.

The overall aim of the GPII scheme is to encourage at least 90 per cent of practices to achieve 90 per cent proportions of full immunisation. This milestone was accomplished in the May 2003 quarter.

The importance of general practice
GPs are one of the key groups able to improve the nation’s childhood immunisation level. They have significant levels of contact with the target group - children under the age of seven.

Each consultation is an opportunity for monitoring a child’s immunisation status and for providing immunisation services if required. It is for this reason that GPs have been specifically targeted in this immunisation strategy.

The GPII scheme is not simply payment for direct immunisation services. The incentives are aimed at helping to improve the national immunisation level. This can be achieved by GPs actively encouraging and promoting immunisation generally, as well as providing immunisations themselves.

This initiative is intended to augment the services provided by local governments and Public Health Units in order to help improve Australia’s immunisation level.

Links
www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/incentives/gpii/index.shtml

LOCAL IMMUNISATION COORDINATOR
The immunisation program has been developed and implemented in cooperation with the SA Department of Health.

The primary focus of the program is to increase immunisation uptake, and reduce the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases on Eyre Peninsula. The Division supports general practitoners andother public providers to increase their knowledge of immunisation issues and procedures, improving systems for data return to ACIR (Australian Childhood Immunisation Register), cold chain management and raising public awareness of the importance of immunisation.

The role of the Local Immunisation Coordinator includes liaison between GPs, Immunisation Section Communicable Diseases Control Branch SA Health, GPSA, local governments, hospitals, other public providers, and the general community to achieve optimum health outcomes.

Providers are required to follow recommendations in The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition 2008 as published by the Australian Government of Health and Ageing and the National Health and Medical Research Council.  Hard copies of this resource are available from EPDGP.  A resource manual is also available on line from the Immunisation Section at SA Health that provides current copies of policies and standing drug orders for immunisation providers.

Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR)
ACIR is central to the effectiveness of GPII. ACIR records details of Imunisations provided to children under the age of Seven living in Adelaide.

ACIR information is used to determine the immunisation status of children and accordingly the amount paid to preactices under GPII.

Childcare benefit and Marernity Immunisation Allowance Family assistance payments are also reliant on ACIR information.

EPDGP provides support with accessing the ACIR and supporting staff with data cleaning and recall.

Administration and Storage
The EPDGP provides support in orientation and ongoing education to all practice staff on all aspects of immunisation including Cold Chain.

Contact the EPDGP for assistance with immunisation queries, requests for resources to complement your practice, or educational updates.

Interesting links - visit the links below, then close the browser to return to this page

Department of Human Services www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs then follow link to Immunisation

Immunisation Calculator (for children up to 7yrs) www.health.sa.gov.au/immunisationcalculator

Medicare Australia website www.medicareaustralia.gov.au then follow links to Health Providers