MoH has asked us to share the following email about provisional vaccinator training:
Kia ora
As you know the Provisional Vaccinator Foundation Course was set up as part of the 2020 COVID-19 Response. It has helped support the immunisation workforce by training more vaccinators to deliver the MMR campaign, influenza and the COVID-19 vaccination programmes. However, as you might have heard from the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), this vaccinator pathway will soon be coming to a close.
If you have people in your workforce who intend to become Provisional Vaccinators but are yet to complete the course, or who are thinking about doing it, we ask you to please filter down the following important information to them.
Anyone who does intend to complete the course should take note of the dates below:
- If you have not yet begun the course, you must start before 1 December 2021. After this date, you will be not be able to access the course if you have not started. No package codes will be sent after 30 November.
- You need to complete the course by 31 December 2021. After this date, the course will be closed and you will not be able to access it.
- When you complete the course, and after you have successfully completed the peer assessment, submit your authorisation application form by 31 March 2022. The Ministry will not accept authorisation application forms after this date. (Page 3 of the Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ] document describes the steps to obtain authorisation.)
- If you require your authorisation before the end of the year, you need to submit your completed form before 13 December 2021 to accommodate the holiday break. Applications received between 13 December 2021 and 10 January 2022 will not be processed until after 10 January 2022.
- To achieve authorisation, if you are unable to obtain a peer review elsewhere, please contact the IMAC staff member in your region (see page 3 in the FAQs).
We don’t want anyone who has already started the course to have their hard mahi to go to waste, so please make sure that people interested in becoming a Provisional Vaccinator finish the course and apply for authorisation on time.
Authorisation as a provisional vaccinator is valid for two years from the date of authorisation, and anyone with this authorisation is able to continue vaccinating during that period.
IMAC is developing a bridging course, that will allow Provisional Vaccinators to progress to become fully authorised vaccinators. The bridging course will be available throughout 2022 and funded places on the course will be targeted to support vaccinators who will provide National Immunisation Schedule vaccines to those under 6 years of age, with a particular focus on equity.
Additionally, the Ministry is currently drafting a position statement regarding enrolled nurses becoming fully authorised vaccinators. More details will be shared on this and the bridging course, shortly.
It’s important to note that although the provisional vaccinator training pathway will close, the fully authorised and vaccinator working under supervision pathways will remain available for those wishing to train as vaccinators.
Ngā mihi nui,
Kath Blair
Manager Immunisation
Ministry of Health