Welcome to Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network’s (CESPHN)
e-newsletter specifically for pharmacist immunisers. Here you will find your monthly update on immunisation news relevant to pharmacy.  

A weekly immunisation update is also published in the Sydney Health Weekly, CESPHN’s weekly newsletter for health professionals. To subscribe to Sydney Health Weekly, email communications@cesphn.com.au. 

Pharmacists should check the measles vaccination status of all patients born during or after 1966 to ensure they have had 2 doses of measles containing MMR vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, where exposure risk may be higher.

Introduction to the childhood schedule: Vaccines from birth to 4 years(2 min), Why timing is important (1 min) and How the schedule was developed (2 min)

Answers to common questions from parents and carers about the childhood schedule (5 min), how vaccines work (3 min), and vaccine safety (3 min).

Advice from health professionals on the importance (1 min) and safety (2 min) of routine childhood vaccination. 

Diseases we vaccinate against: The childhood immunisation program protects against 14 diseases (2-3 min) through routine schedules from birth to four years.  

Maternal vaccination: How vaccines during pregnancy (2 min) helps to protect the newborn.  

This provides healthcare providers with a convenient one-stop shop for accessing a comprehensive range of immunisation materials including:

Reporting and program support for COVID-19 vaccines such as cold chain breaches, vaccine errors and discards will be managed by NSW Health.

NIP eligibility criteria

Under the NIP, funded COVID-19 vaccines will only be available to people who have the highest risk of severe disease:

• all adults aged 75 years and over (one dose every 6 months)
• adults aged 65–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
• all adults aged 18 years and over with severe immunocompromise (one dose every 12 months).

People who are not eligible may choose to purchase the COVID-19 vaccine privately.

Resources for COVID-19 vaccine NIP transition:

• For health professionals: ATAGI statement, provider update, program advice and information kit 

• For consumers: consumer factsheet

Education

CESPHN hosts a range of education activities. Visit the website to view a full list of events.

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia webinar: Every encounter counts – closing the adult vaccination gap

This webinar explores the important role pharmacists can play in improving adult vaccination rates. The session will examine the ongoing challenges affecting vaccine uptake, including access barriers, uncertainty around eligibility and timing, and missed opportunities for vaccination in primary care. Pharmacists will gain practical strategies to make every patient interaction an opportunity to improve immunisation outcomes and public health.

When: Wednesday 16 September 2026, 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm

PSA webinar: From hesitation to protection - Effective patient communication strategies to address vaccination hesitancy 

This webinar will equip pharmacists with practical communication strategies to confidently address vaccine hesitancy, navigate misinformation and support informed decision-making. The session will provide techniques to manage challenging conversations with patients who are vaccine hesitant, misinformed or resistant to vaccination. Participants will gain valuable skills to improve confidence in discussing immunisation and enhance their impact as vaccine advocates.

When: Tuesday 22 September 2026, 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm

CESPHN webinar: Immunisation without borders – Measles resurgence and travel health 

This webinar will equip pharmacists with practical and up-to-date knowledge on the growing risk of measles driven by global outbreaks, declining vaccination coverage and increasing international travel. Pharmacists will also gain practical skills in travel health, including conducting travel risk assessments, developing individualised vaccination recommendations, and providing effective patient education before, during and after overseas travel.

When: Thursday 22 October 2026, 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm

Recorded CPD education sessions

Central and Eastern Sydney PHN has a library of recorded CPD education and practice support resources. These videos cover a range of topics and can be self-reported as CPD education. You can find these videos on the CESPHN YouTube page.

CESPHN Stakeholder Survey

CESPHN is committed to continuously improving how we support primary healthcare across central and eastern Sydney. You are invited to complete the 2026 Stakeholder Survey by 30 September 2026. Your feedback will assist CESPHN to better understand your experience of engaging with CESPHN, identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen the way we work with stakeholders and communities. 

The survey takes less than three minutes to complete. As a thank you, respondents may choose to enter a prize draw to win one of five $50 gift vouchers.

Your feedback is important and will help shape how CESPHN engages with and supports healthcare professionals, service providers, and communities across the region.