Health workforce upskilled to vaccinate with HWSP funding

NSW Rural Doctors Network is supporting the rural health workforce to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates by providing health workers with funding to become certified immunisers.  The funding is provided through the Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP).

Earlier this year, a group of Indigenous Registered Nurses (RN) from Dubbo completed the Immunisation for Health Practitioners training with HWSP funding. They are now all involved in COVID-19 vaccination programs. RN Robin Albert explains.

“With the financial support from the HWSP, some colleagues and I were able to become certified Authorised Nurse Immunisers - something I would have really struggled to do without this financial support,” said Ms Albert.

“This qualification allows us to vaccinate people outside of a clinic setting, for instance, as part of health outreach in remote Aboriginal communities or vaccination programs in offices. Now I'm responsible for Pfizer GP-led respiratory clinic (GPRC) rollout, Bec is responsible for AstraZeneca rollout for GPRC and Jen and Sarah are involved in the AstraZeneca and Pfizer rollout for our GP clinic,” she said.

Having more nurses able to vaccinate independently is an important step to expanding the reach of immunisation services and improving vaccination rates.

HWSP funding is available for primary health practitioners in rural locations and the ACCHS sector. The Program is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health, administered in New South Wales by NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN).

HSWP funding for immunisation qualifications is just one of the ways RDN has been supporting the health workforce during the current COVID-19 crisis. See the full list of COVID-19 support services. 

Find out more about the Health Workforce Scholarship Program and check your eligibility to apply for funding.