Mother And Daughter Visiting Doctor In Surgery
Providing patients with wider access to vaccination delivery settings and funding health professionals to spend more time educating patients could help reverse declining childhood vaccination rates, a new study suggests. Published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, the study outlines practical strategies to help improve childhood vaccine uptake as part of a multi-faceted action plan.
The recommendations include improving the accessibility of GP appointments by encouraging and supporting GPs to see new patients for immunization consultations, extending vaccination clinic times to after-hours and weekends, offering drop-in vaccination appointments, and supporting funding for nurse-led clinics in general practice. Additionally, funding healthcare providers’ dedicated time for vaccination conversations and ensuring education around supportive vaccination discussions in professional development programs are emphasized.
Addressing Barriers to Vaccination
The study’s recommendations build on results from a 2024 national survey of parents that identified key childhood vaccination barriers. These barriers include out-of-pocket costs, limited appointment availability, lack of opportunities to discuss vaccination with providers, and eroding trust. Lead author Dr. Kasia Bolsewicz, a Social Science Research Fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), stressed the urgent need for coordinated action across policy, program, healthcare provider, and community settings.
“Childhood vaccination rates have declined each year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest analysis from NCIRS confirms that coverage has remained below the national target of 95% across all three standard age milestones,” Dr. Bolsewicz stated.
Dr. Bolsewicz emphasized the importance of prioritizing catch-up vaccinations for children overdue for their recommended doses to protect them from potentially life-threatening, vaccine-preventable diseases.
Expert Opinions on Proposed Strategies
Dr. Michael Tam, a member of the Expert Committee – Quality Care, acknowledged the study’s commonsense recommendations. However, he cautioned that steps to broaden access to vaccines should not come at the expense of the GP–patient relationship.
“Timely access to vaccination is clearly important, and potentially all preventive activities have a risk of being crowded out when there is overall reduced access to primary care,” Dr. Tam noted.
He highlighted that while ensuring timely access to vaccination-type appointments is beneficial, it is crucial that new measures do not disrupt the relationship between mothers, babies, and their regular GPs. Dr. Tam also pointed out challenges in extending access to vaccination via general practice outside standard hours, including higher demand during those times and potential increases in practice costs and resourcing.
Education and Community-Level Initiatives
The study also recommended education for medical professionals in having supportive vaccine conversations with patients, which could be delivered through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs. Dr. Tam acknowledged the importance of vaccination education but emphasized that GPs are already well-versed in this area of patient care.
“There does need to be recognition that the vast majority of all vaccines, including childhood vaccines, and other than the school vaccination program, is delivered in general practice,” he stated.
Dr. Tam suggested that practical approaches to increase vaccination could include locally driven programs and pilots, with local GPs involved. These initiatives could generate effective community-level ideas to support vaccinating children who are missing out and explore ways to reach them. However, he reiterated that any efforts to increase access must not disrupt the existing GP-patient relationship, as childhood health and preventive care extend beyond vaccines alone.
The announcement comes as health authorities worldwide grapple with the challenge of maintaining high vaccination rates amid the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study’s findings and recommendations could serve as a blueprint for policymakers and healthcare providers aiming to bolster childhood vaccination efforts and safeguard public health.
