Qld Adult Specialist Immunisation Service (QASIS)
Conditions
- COVID vaccination
- Influenza vaccination
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccination
- Travel vaccination – this should link to a page that explains patient may need to privately fund their vaccines.
- Catch up National Immunisation Program vaccination
- Non-National Immunisation Program Vaccines (non-NIP vaccines)
- Pneumococcal vaccination
- Shingles vaccination
- Meningococcal vaccination
- Haemophilus influenzae type B
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- Please see https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-immunisation-program-schedule?language=en for more detail
Our services
The service is available to Queenslanders aged 16 years and over.
Examples of patients for review in QASIS prior to vaccination may include:
- A history of a previous serious AEFI. An unwanted medical reaction after administration of a vaccine, which may or may not be related to the vaccine. Adverse events may be at the site of injection, a general illness or a general allergic reaction.
- Persons who have experienced a severe reaction or side effect after any vaccine.
- Persons with severe allergies to any vaccine components e.g., antibiotics, gelatin, egg proteins, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysorbate etc.
- A history of confirmed mastocytosis with recurrent anaphylaxis that requires treatment.
- Persons with severe immunocompromise due to disease or treatment.
- Intradermal (ID) hepatitis B vaccination for non-responders.
- Persons requiring yellow fever vaccination/exemption with additional risk factors such as:
- Pregnancy
- breastfeeding
- HIV+
- aged over 60
- history of anaphylaxis
- severe immunocompromise
- Please note that this vaccine is not funded by QASIS and patient must pay for cost of vaccine if administered
Children under the age of 16 years are recommended to be discussed with the Queensland Children’s Hospital service, Queensland Specialist Immunisation Service (QSIS). Queensland Specialist Immunisation Service (QSIS) – Information for health professionals
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
- Referrals will be returned if the patient is not eligible.
- Referrals to QASIS specifically requesting the completion of a vaccine exemption will be rejected. Vaccine exemptions can be provided by an approved list of health care professionals to individuals who meet a limited set of criteria. Immunisation medical exemptions for health professionals – Australian Immunisation Register for health professionals – Services Australia.
- QASIS does not provide vaccination requiring anaesthetic support i.e. procedural sedation. For consideration of Sedation Vaccinations please seek a referral to your local Hospital and Health Service.
- To find the closest local Hospital and Health Service (HHS). Go to https://www.qld.gov.au/health/contacts/service-finder and click on the Hospital tab and search your postcode on the populated map.
Who can and how to refer to QASIS?
Individuals can be referred to QASIS by a health professional with a provider number, including your treating doctor, General Practitioner (GP), Midwife or Nurse Practitioner
Inappropriate referrals can lead to unnecessary delays in vaccination leaving patients vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases.
If your patient does not meet referral guidelines and you require extra support, please contact your local Public Health Unit.
What must be included in your referrals to QASIS?
- History and supporting evidence of specific underlying medical condition
- Relevant medical conditions or GP concern and relevance to QASIS referral guidelines
- Please include correspondence from relevant involved clinicians to help streamline patient journey
- Relevant detailed history that outlines the reaction to the vaccine (e.g., urticaria, angioedema, hypotension and time of onset after vaccination).
- Treatment provided to manage the adverse reaction.
- Current medications and dosages and if any new medications were initiated at the time of the reaction
- Known or previous adverse drug reactions or other allergies, outlining the details of the reaction and when they occurred. It is not enough to just include a list of ADRs (Adverse Drug Reactions) with no explanation.
- Vaccination history and if the patient tolerated the vaccine.
- Any investigations performed and the relevant results
- Other relevant Medical History and any other information important in relation to vaccination.
With specific conditions, it is important that all relevant information be included with the referral. These details were listed above in “Who should be referred to QASIS?”
Referrals will be returned if:
- patient is not eligible for vaccination at QASIS
- incomplete referral
- does not meet referral criteria
Referrals that contain incomplete or inadequate information will be declined with request for more information provided.
Out of catchment
Metro North Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary care or services that are not provided by their local Hospital and Health Service. If your patient lives outside the Metro North Health area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.
- Impact on employment
- Impact on education
- Impact on home
- Impact on activities of daily living
- Impact on ability to care for others
- Impact on personal frailty or safety
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- To establish a diagnosis
- For treatment or intervention
- For advice and management
- For specialist to take over management
- Reassurance for GP/second opinion
- For a specified test/investigation the GP can’t order, or the patient can’t afford or access
- Reassurance for the patient/family
- For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
- Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary
- Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
- Physical findings
- Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
- Current medications and dosages
- Drug allergies
- Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use
- Full name (including aliases)
- Date of birth
- Residential and postal address
- Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
- Medicare number (where eligible)
- Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
- Preferred language and interpreter requirements
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- Full name
- Full address
- Contact details – telephone, fax, email
- Provider number
- Date of referral
- Signature
- Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
- Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
- Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Medical Objects ID: MQ40290004P
HealthLink EDI: qldmnhhs
Mail:
Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways@brisbanenorthphn.org.au
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.healthpathwayscommunity.org
Locations
Resources
Resources
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Questions about vaccination
- Vaccination Matters
- Check immunisation history
- Immunisation Fact Sheets – Multiple Languages
- NCIRS (National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance) Discussion guide for medical exemptions
- COVID-19 vaccine contraindications and precautions
- Clinical recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines