Proposed Vaccinating Health Worker Role - Survey

Overview

The Ministry of Health invites input from the health and disability sector into a proposed change to the Medicines Regulations 1984. The change involves expanding the scope of the COVID-19 Vaccinator Workforce into a new Vaccinating Health Worker role.  

This role could add significant value in supporting vaccination teams across the motu by administering a range of vaccines to people aged 12 and up or school-based vaccines to ages 11 and up.  

Please see the attached resources for more information. 

You can also learn more about what is being proposed during one of three webinars: 

• Thursday 3 February 12.00 – 1.00pm – Click here to join 

• Friday 4 February, 10.00 – 11.00am – Click here to join  

• Wednesday, 9 February, 4.00 – 5.00pm – Click here to join 

• 16 February from 12:00 to 1:00pm. Click here to join.

The Webinars are being delivered through Microsoft Teams. Please schedule the above dates into your diaries and remember to copy and paste the Webinar links in. 

Feedback closes at 5pm Friday 18 February 2022.*

This date has been extended by one week

Change in scope of proposed role

Based on early sector feedback the proposal has been amended to include an option for a Vaccinating Health Worker to immunise children ages 5 and up. This would further ensure equitable access to all vaccines particularly for Māori and Pacific peoples as well as further support health service teams to take every opportunity to vaccinate tamariki against a range of preventable diseases.

Given Māori, iwi and Pacific providers' ability to engage and reach both whānau and tamariki across regions including rural remote areas, this amendment creates a window of opportunity to vaccinate all whānau members where possible.

The documents have been amended to reflect this and we welcome your feedback on the proposal, with both ages 5 and up and/or ages 12 and up in mind.

People who have already provided feedback and joined the webinars will be contacted wherever possible to let them know about this change.