Request for additional booster clinics for residents and workers in aged care facilities

4 March, 2022

The deadline for facilities to request a return Commonwealth booster clinic has been extended to 18 March 2022.

Return booster clinics can be booked in advance. If your facility does not currently meet the eligibility criteria noted below, but will do so before the end of April, please request a clinic now so that it can be scheduled.

Commonwealth return booster clinics can be requested when:

at least 10 per cent of residents at the facility require a COVID-19 vaccine dose (first, second or third/booster) and that this equates to 10 or more residents, and
less than 10 residents at the facility require a COVID-19 vaccine dose and no alternative arrangements, such as a visiting GP or pharmacist, can be sourced by the facility, and
your initial booster clinic was delivered by a Commonwealth vaccine provider, primary care provider or other delivery method.

All return booster clinics will offer vaccinations to eligible residents and workers, including booster, first, second, or a third dose for people who are severely immunocompromised.

Facilities who do not meet this threshold need to engage with primary care in the first instance to deliver required boosters. Primary Health Networks can also assist in connecting facilities with primary care providers that can deliver in-reach vaccine services. Where this is not possible, the Commonwealth will then offer an in-reach booster clinic.

How to request a return booster clinic for your facility

In order to host a return booster clinic, facilities will need to complete a short registration form. Following registration, the Commonwealth vaccine administration provider will be able to work with the residential aged care facilities to secure a schedule for the clinic.

The registration form can be found here. Please complete and lodge this form as a matter of priority, but no later than 18 March 2022.

Queries about Commonwealth return booster clinics can be emailed to racfvaccineclinics@health.gov.au

Your local Primary Health Network can register your facility if needed. Please contact your Primary Health Network if you would like this assistance.

Self-vaccination of residents and workers

If your preference is to self-vaccinate your residents and workers requiring a booster or other required doses, please refer to the Request for Tender RFT Health/22-301174 inviting aged care providers to apply to vaccinate residents and workers.

The Request for Tender closes on 11 March 2022.

Facilities will be able to have the flexibility to choose when to vaccinate workers. e.g. you can run several clinic days over a week to factor in staff rosters.

Facilities can determine when to hold clinics for residents and their family members, enabling you to reach out to family members to both support the consent process for residents and take up the opportunity to get their booster dose.

A facility can administer COVID-19 vaccines to workers, residents and their family members as well as at other facilities that wish to participate. You do not need to belong to the same provider organisation.

Support is available to guide you through your application! Contact COVID19VaccineProcurement@health.gov.au today.

Further vaccination options for workers

In addition to return booster clinics and self-vaccination programs, aged care workers can also receive priority vaccination bookings by:

booking an appointment at a primary care (GP or pharmacy) or state vaccination clinic using the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder

calling the dedicated COVID-19 Helpline on 1800 020 080 (select option 4) for any questions about vaccination and for assistance on how to book an appointment

Your workers can also access a priority booster appointment through time-limited Commonwealth dedicated worker vaccination hubs. The hubs listings are available at COVID-19 vaccination – Vaccination hubs | Australian Government Department of Health.

Is your My Aged Care workforce vaccination reporting up to date?

It is a mandatory requirement to report on booster dose rates for both residents and workers as part of your reporting via the My Aged Care provider portal each Tuesday. Failure to ensure your resident and workforce vaccination rates are up to date will result in compliance measures undertaken by the Department of Health.

Importantly, please report residents and workers as having had a second dose, and then again as having had a booster dose. Report them in both places of the My Aged Care form. That way we can see the number of residents (and workers) that have had a second dose and need a booster dose.

Residential aged care workforce booster vaccination rates by facility are published on the interactive map for residential aged care workforce COVID-19 vaccination rates, which is available on health.gov.au.

You are also encouraged to update your My Aged Care in between the weekly Tuesday reporting periods. This is to ensure the Department has the most accurate data to support COVID-19 outbreak preparedness and response.

Further information including guidelines on reporting frequency, relevant definitions and answers to common questions, can be found on the Department of Health’s website Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination reporting.