Tips for healthcare professionals and immunisation providers

On this page you will find information and resources for healthcare professionals and immunisation providers about the human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV immunisation program.

Information for immunisation coordinators and nurses

State and Territory immunisation coordinators and nurses can use information on this page to find tips for planning vaccination days with schools. 

Research has shown that immunisation nurse actions can affect the vaccination day experience, which can then impact on future dose uptake, and even vaccine uptake in subsequent year groups.

This website assumes knowledge of the Australian Immunisation Handbook. The handbook contains a lot of useful information, including tips on how to ensure a good vaccination day experience. You can view information about human papillomavirus (HPV) disease, vaccines and recommendations for vaccination from the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Information for GPs and other health professionals

Many children may have missed their HPV vaccination at school due to illness or being absent from school. It is important to check the immunisation status of your patients aged 12 to 25 routinely while they remain eligible for free HPV vaccination.

Although most HPV vaccines will be administered as part of the school-based National Immunisation Program, GPs and other health professionals have an important role to play in ensuring high vaccine coverage across Australia.

This includes:

  • Administering the HPV vaccine to children that missed out on getting it at school.
  • Giving the vaccine to children who don‘t attend school, with special medical needs or who prefer vaccination by their regular GP or practice nurse. Patients in this age group most likely to have missed out during the routine school program include children who:
    • Attend smaller schools
    • Live in lower socioeconomic areas or remote areas
    • Have moved or migrated during adolescence
    • Live with a disability or chronic illness
    • Have poor school attendance.
  • Educating parents and carers about the benefits and risks of the HPV vaccine. We encourage you to tell your patients to notify your clinic if they wish to receive the vaccine for themselves or their child so you can order stocks if necessary.
  • Updating HPV doses to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). The fastest way for vaccination providers to submit HPV dose information to AIR is by submitting completed forms using a Provider Digital Access (PRODA) account. (Please note when seeking consent for vaccination, advise patients that their doses will be reported to the AIR).

To ensure all of your patients are up-to-date with their vaccines we recommend you use an appropriate recall system.

HPV vaccine dosage information in a primary care setting

All HPV doses must be ordered through your State/Territory Health department.

In Australia, the HPV vaccine is recommended for anyone aged 9 to 25 and is free for anyone aged 12 to 25 under the National Immunisation Program.

The Immunisation handbook states:  

  • A single dose is recommended for immunocompetent people who start the HPV vaccination course at nine to 25 years of age (that is, before their 26th birthday). 

  • People who are immunocompromised at any age (excluding those with asplenia or hyposplenia) require three doses with an interval of two months between dose one and dose two, and four months between dose two and dose three. 

  • People who receive their first HPV vaccine dose at ≥26 years of age (that is, on or after their 26th birthday) are recommended to receive three doses, with an interval of two months between dose one and dose two, and four months between dose two and dose three. 

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends that the following groups can also receive 9vHPV (Gardasil) vaccine: 

  • males aged >26 years in high-risk groups, such as men who have sex with men 

  • people of any age who are immunocompromised 

ATAGI also recommends that males and females older than the upper indicated ages can receive 9vHPV vaccine if they are at risk of future HPV exposure and disease. 

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