Vaccine recalls and reminders - grant opportunity

Brisbane North PHN is pleased to have released a grant opportunity aimed at supporting a select number of general practices in enhancing their systems for sending recalls and reminders for COVID-19, influenza and pneumonia vaccinations The initiative also seeks to improve vaccine accessibility, with the overarching goal of increasing community immunisation rates. 

A PHN Immunisation Recall and Reminder Grant of $2,000.00 (excluding GST) has been offered to eligible general practice vaccine providers through a formal expression of interest process within the Brisbane North PHN region. We commend the selected practices on their successful application and participation in this initiative.

The Grant

This initiative will allow participating practices to designate dedicated nursing staff and resources for managing recalls, reminders, and personalised discussions about immunisation options with their most vulnerable patient groups. Including sending out recalls and reminders for COVID-19, influenza and pneumonia vaccination, as well as to make sure vaccines are more available, with the goal of increasing community immunisation rates.  

Brisbane North PHN will also provide participating practices with a complementary Influenza SMS campaign valued at $500. Practices will receive a training session with a GoShare representative, receive SMS credits, resources and support. The SMS’ sent to patients will include a link to educational resources about the vaccination being offered and a reminder to book an appointment. For further information about GoShare, visit: GoShare Healthcare - Healthily 

In addition, GoShare also has Pfizer funded SMS recall campaigns available as an optional activity: 

• COVID-19 SMS recall campaign
• Pneumonia SMS recall campaign 

Practices who indicated on the EOI that they would like to participate in the optional Pfizer funded SMS recall campaigns, will be sent further correspondence on how to register and the supporting services being offered by GoShare. 

The Activity

Participating practices will leverage their Clinical Information System (CIS) or Primary Sense “Winter Wellness” reports to identify patients who are due or overdue for influenza, COVID-19 and pneumonia vaccines. The practice teams will carry out the activities to recall and remind patients they are due or overdue for vaccinations, allowing at least four weeks for the recall and reminder activities to get the best results in getting people vaccinated. Practices will have access to resources and support from GoShare SMS campaigns if they have selected those options, additionally, they will receive support from the PHN quality improvement and development engagement officers to complete the activities. The work should be finished between now and mid-August 2025.

 Final reports are due before September 30, 2025. Practices are encouraged to complete additional activities in addition to recall and reminders to optimise the reduction of patients due or overdue for vaccinations.

Funding Allocation ideas for Practices

• Allocate grant funding to enable practice nurses to dedicate time to immunisation and related services, including recalls and reminders, dedicated vaccine clinics, vaccine education and follow-up care.
• Encourage the implementation of dedicated vaccine clinics within general practices, managed by the Nurse Immuniser when applicable, or coordinated by the practice nurse, to alleviate additional workload for general practitioners.
• Utilise funding to hire additional temporary practice staff, secure external vaccine providers, or reallocate duties for internal staff to optimise time for immunisation clinics.

Promote Targeted Outreach to Vulnerable Populations

Practices should focus on identifying and prioritizing high-risk patient groups (e.g. elderly, immunocompromised, disabled, low-income families) based on Primary Sense “Winter Wellness” and “High Complexity 4-5” Reports to recall patients.

Implement recall and reminder campaigns utilising funded GoShare SMS Recall campaign credits and resources to notify identified and at-risk patients about the availability and necessity of COVID-19, Influenza, Pneumonia vaccines for the upcoming winter season.

Implement a comprehensive strategy to enhance vaccine awareness and increase accessibility within the practice, this should include the development of processes and workflows, opportunistic engagement methods, and promotional materials such as posters.

Review the Primary Sense “Patients booked in with missing PIP QI measures – Appointments in the next 2 weeks” report weekly to identify patients and proactively invite them to receive vaccinations during their visit for other healthcare services.

Raise awareness among patients that COVID-19, Influenza and Pneumonia vaccines are free or subsidised by the government in 2025 and can be co administered to reduce financial barriers to patients’ access. Awareness can be created with posters, advertising and conversation. 

Educational information about the available vaccines is being communicated to patients through funded GoShare SMS campaign(s) or practice CIS SMS messaging systems to enhance vaccination uptake and awareness

Suggested Activities for Practices to Undertake

• Generate Primary Sense (“Patients booked in with missing PIP QI Measures”)” reports to proactively identify and flag patients with scheduled appointments who have not received recommended vaccinations. This allows for targeted vaccination efforts during patient visits for other health concerns.
• Utilise visual aids by placing informative posters in waiting areas and restrooms to encourage eligible patients to inquire about available vaccines and express interest in receiving them.

• Implement process improvements by training frontline staff to use Primary Sense reports to identify unvaccinated patients with upcoming appointments. Staff can then highlight these patients to clinical providers, facilitating timely immunisation discussions and offering vaccines during the clinical encounter.

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Get Support

For assistance and guidance in completing this activity, please contact our quality improvement and development engagement officers via the Practice Support email and phone line. 

If your practice has elected to use GoShare, your designated facilitator will assist you with the optional additional activities from now until mid-August 2025, reporting on progress, and submit your final data reports to the PHN by 30 September 2025.