Administer the vaccines and manage your bookings based on:
- vaccine availability and type
- local priority populations
- your practice capacity.
You can prioritise your own eligible patients, but you should also accept bookings from new patients if and when you have capacity.
Online COVID-19 vaccine bookings
The Service Finder helps patients find a clinic, see available appointments, and make a booking online or by phone.
If you want patients to book through your clinic's online booking system, you need to create vaccine bookings with your booking vendor.
Healthdirect Australia works with vendors to connect and present booking availability on the Service Finder.
If you have an online booking system, you must provide the details of your booking system provider in Provider Connect Australia.
Please register in Provider Connect Australia to maintain your COVID-19 vaccine services information on Service Finder. Provider Connect Australia allows clinics to self-manage their information on the Service Finder.
As part of the transition of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout to post-pandemic operations, VCF Connect has been retired.
Offsite vaccinations
Vaccination providers can administer vaccines offsite at pop-up clinics, in-reach and out-reach clinics, and in-home visits.
Providers who administer COVID-19 vaccines offsite must ensure:
- requirements for MBS items by claiming GPs or other medical professionals are met
- vaccination program requirements are met
- clinical governance and appropriate models of care are in place in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook
- reporting requirements are met
- administered stock is reported in the online ordering portal
- wastage is minimised and cold-chain storage is maintained at all times.
See guidance on pre-drawing vaccines for offsite administration.
Vaccine providers who choose to administer COVID-19 vaccines offsite are legally responsible for ensuring staff, patient and community safety. Ensure your practice has the appropriate medical indemnity insurance for offsite activities.
Home visits for COVID-19 vaccination are encouraged for eligible vulnerable priority populations. GPs and other medical professionals can claim a flag-fall fee for COVID-19 vaccine suitability assessment services done at:
- residential aged care facilities
- residential disability settings
- patient residences (including emergency accommodation, rehabilitation centres, and other residential facilities).
The flag-fall is for help with transport costs when attending a patient’s residence. For more information, see MBS online – Flag-Fall Arrangement for COVID-19 Vaccine Suitability Assessment Services.