COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program

The CVCP Program is a temporary program, which aims to support and protect members of our community from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by providing a fee for service payable to Australian pharmacies for administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

The CVCP Program is a temporary program, which aims to support and protect members of our community from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by providing a fee for service payable to Australian pharmacies for administering the COVID 19 vaccine.

Eligible patients will be able to receive one, or both, of their COVID-19 vaccinations from pharmacies selected for participation in the program.

Pharmacy Eligibility

To be eligible to become an Approved Service Provider under this temporary program, a Pharmacy must:

  • Be approved to dispense pharmaceutical benefits as part of the PBS defined in Section 90 of the National Health Act 1953 (Cwlth) (Section 90 Pharmacy)
  • Have received notification from the Australian Government Department of Health (or delegate) of their selection to participate in the national vaccine program
  • Be located in a State or Territory where appropriate legislation has been enacted to allow vaccinations to be administered in pharmacies
  • Agree to deliver CVCP Services in accordance with the General Terms and the CVCP Program Rules, including those related to Patient eligibility
  • Provide CVCP Services in accordance with the PSA Standards and Guidelines, ATAGI Guidelines and relevant state or territory legislation
  • Have access to the Vaccination Information and Location Service. It is not mandatory to use the Service to manage appointments, however each pharmacy will be mandated to appear in the Vaccine Clinic Finder. If pharmacies have an online booking system already, they will be able to operate without substantial changes to their existing systems and processes
  • Have registered with the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and undertake to report all CVCP Services within the set timeframe (within 24 hours)
  • Maintain a secure facility for the appropriate storage, including cold storage, of vaccines, in accordance with the approved product information
  • Undertake to obtain appropriate patient consent for the provision of a CVCP service prior to providing the service. A consent form is available online on the Department of Health’s website
  • Ensure that services delivered under the CVCP Program are carried out by an Appropriately Qualified Person face‑to‑face with the Patient in an area of the Community Pharmacy approved premises that is physically separated from the retail trading floor so that the privacy and confidentiality of the Patient is protected. The area must meet the following requirements, as outlined in the EOI submissions:
    • Have adequate space for patients waiting to be vaccinated that observes physical distancing requirements, and is sheltered from weather elements.
    • Have a private and quiet space for consultation with patients and vaccinator (including obtaining informed consent, answering patient questions and assessment of any conditions that may preclude vaccination or require further assessment and administration of vaccine)
    • Have a dedicated area (e.g., clean, and away from direct patient contact and distraction), separate from areas that provide other clinical [pharmacy] services at the same time, where vaccines from multi-dose vials may be drawn up, labelled, and prepared for administration
    • Have a dedicated, clean, well-lit space for administration of the vaccine to patients, including a desk and chairs for patients, carers/parents, and vaccinator(s)
    • Have adequate space for patients to be seated to wait and be observed post-vaccination that observes physical distancing requirements (note this may be the same as the waiting area) and is in accordance with jurisdictional requirements and guidance
    • Have safe and directed access in pharmacy areas to allow movement of staff between areas while minimising the risk of workplace incidents (e.g., moving doses from preparation area to patient administration area, accessing refrigerators or cool boxes, etc.)
    • Adequate handwashing facilities for staff, and antimicrobial hand sanitisers available. Have visual reminders and cues in place to reduce the risk of errors
    • Have a process in place to safely dispose of unused vaccines, in accordance with TGA and other regulatory requirements
    • Have adequate sharps disposal bins, appropriate for the volume of patients, and securely placed and spaced to mitigate the risk of needle stick injuries
    • Appropriate security provisions to ensure no unauthorised access to vaccine doses.
  • Agree to ensure that any person involved in providing CVCP Services through this Program abides by the current hygiene and isolation protocols relevant to the containment and management of COVID‑19 within the community as issued by each State and Territory
  • Ensure the Approved Pharmacist or Appropriately Qualified Person conducting the services under the Program is not responsible for dispensing or undertaking other professional duties at the time of consultation
  • Register via the PPA Portal and continue to meet the above Eligibility Criteria while participating in the Program.

The following settings are specifically excluded from this program:

  • Outreach programs
  • Outstation premises
  • The patient’s place of residence
  • Aged care facilities
  • Any other clinics or settings which are not inside the pharmacy’s approved premises.

An Approved Service Provider must notify the PPA immediately when it becomes aware of any circumstance, event or fact that may affect the Service Provider’s eligibility to participate in the Program.

 

Patient Eligibility

This program will protect members of our community and is available to Patients meeting the eligibility criteria outlined at (https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/getting-vaccinated-for-covid-19/when-will-i-get-a-covid-19-vaccine). These criteria may change depending on the priority populations as determined by the Department.

CVCP Services delivered under this Program cannot be administered to Patients not meeting the eligibility criteria.  Service Providers and Appropriately Qualified Persons should make themselves aware of what the priority population is at the time of booking a Patient for a CVCP Service.

CVCP Services funded under this Program are not available to In-Patients of public or private hospitals, day hospital facilities, transitional care facilities, or to residents of an Aged Care Facility or Patients in a correctional facility.

Note: Patients who meet all other Commonwealth and State/Territory eligibility criteria but who either do not hold a Medicare/DVA card or are not eligible to hold a Medicare/DVA card, can receive a vaccination in a community pharmacy. Pharmacies must seek confirmation from the patient that the patient does not hold, or is ineligible to hold a Medicare/DVA card and use the ‘Urgent Clinical Need’ special Medicare number (25437529911) when submitting a claim in the PPA Portal for administering vaccinations to these patients.

 

Patient Consent

The Service Provider must obtain appropriate written or verbal consent from the Patient or the Patient’s carer prior to providing the Service. Consent forms are available on the Department of Health’s website.

CVCP Program Registration

To register as a CVCP Service Provider, a Community Pharmacy must register for the CVCP Program via the PPA Portal.

Activation of community pharmacies as vaccination sites will occur progressively in-line with available operational and logistics capacity. As each site is selected by the Taskforce, the PPA will email pharmacies with an Onboarding Pack. Pharmacies should not register for the CVCP Program in the PPA Portal until they have been sent the Onboarding Pack email from the PPA.

A user guide to assist you to register is located in the Program Rules and other Downloads section of this page.

 

Change of Circumstances

It is the responsibility of the Main Authorised Person of the Approved Service Provider to ensure that the Pharmacy’s registration is up to date at all times. Approved Service Providers must notify the Pharmacy Programs Administrator within 14 days of the following changes:

  1. Change of ownership
  2. Change of Section 90 approval number.

If either of these have occurred since the EOI was submitted, a further declaration will be required to confirm the new Section 90 pharmacy approval details meet, at a minimum, the same EOI requirements that were confirmed to be met, as per the original EOI submission.

 

Claims

Service Providers must submit claims online via the PPA Portal.

CVCP Services delivered under the Program must be claimed by the end of the following calendar month following provision of the Service (e.g. services provided in May should be claimed by 30 June).  Claims that are outside this timeframe, that are incomplete, or that do not meet Program Rules cannot be submitted and will not be paid.

All information entered in the Claim must be correct as any inconsistencies may prevent claim submission.

 

Claim Lodgement

The following information must be provided to the PPA in order to lodge a claim:

  • Section 90 number
  • Confirmation of patient consent
  • Name and AHPRA number of person administering vaccination
  • Patient’s Medicare/DVA Card number (or special Medicare number (25437529911) if the patient does not hold a Medicare/DVA card or is not eligible to hold a Medicare/DVA card)
  • Patient’s full name
  • Patient’s date of birth
  • Whether the vaccination is the first or second in a course of an eligible vaccine
  • Date of vaccination/administration
  • A declaration that the vaccination has been recorded in the AIR.

If the Patient is presenting for the second vaccination and has received the first vaccination elsewhere, this must also be noted.

 

Supporting Documentation

The following information must be retained by the Service Provider for seven years to support any claim for payment made under these Program Rules:

  • Section 90 number at the time of the provision of the CVCP Service.
  • Details of the Appropriately Qualified Person administering the vaccination including their AHPRA registration number.
  • Patient’s name and address.
  • Patient’s Medicare/DVA Card number (if applicable).
  • How the Patient has satisfied all Eligibility Criteria.

 

Payments

Approved Service Providers can claim the following payments under the Program. These fees are GST Exempt.

Description MM1 Fee MM2-7 Fee
First administration $16 $19
Second administration (where the first administration was undertaken by the same Service Provider) $26 $29
Second administration (where the first administration was undertaken by a different Service Provider) $16 $19

*Modified Monash (MM)

Service Providers cannot apply any additional Patient charge for a service.

 

Record Keeping and Auditing

Approved Service Providers must retain all records for seven years to demonstrate that they have complied with the General Terms and these Program Rules when providing and claiming for a CVCP Service.

Approved Service Providers may be subject to audits by the Australian Government and the PPA to ensure Services are provided in accordance with the General Terms and these Program Rules.

Approved Service Providers that do not provide Services in accordance with the General Terms and these Program Rules may no longer be able to participate in the Program or be eligible to receive Program payments and repayment may be required. Under section 137.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995, giving false and misleading information is a serious offence.

If an audit is to be conducted, Service Providers will be required to produce documentation within a specified timeframe.

CVCP Service FAQ

  1. The ATAGI site requirements for COVID-19 vaccination in community pharmacies were developed by the Australian Government in consultation with expert advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and standards outlined in the Australian Immunisation Handbook. They can be found on the Department’s website here.

  2. – The PSA Guidelines can be found in the Program Rules and other Downloads section below or on the PSA’s website here.

    – The ATAGI Guidelines can be found on the Department’s website here.

    – State or Territory legislation should be checked with your relevant State/Territory government.

  3. The CVCP Program is a temporary program, which aims to support and protect members of our community from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by providing a fee for service payable to Australian pharmacies for administering the COVID 19 vaccine.

    Eligible patients will be able to receive one, or both, of their COVID-19 vaccinations from pharmacies selected for participation in the program.

  4. This program will protect members of our community and is available to Patients meeting the eligibility criteria outlined at (https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/getting-vaccinated-for-covid-19/when-will-i-get-a-covid-19-vaccine ). These criteria may change depending on the priority populations as determined by the Department.

    CVCP Services delivered under this program cannot be administered to Patients not meeting the eligibility criteria. Service Providers and Appropriately Qualified Persons should make themselves aware of what the priority population is at the time of booking a Patient for a CVCP Service.

    CVCP Services funded under this program are not available to In-Patients of public or private hospitals, day hospital facilities, transitional care facilities, or to residents of an Aged Care Facility or Patients in a correctional facility.

    Patients who meet all other Commonwealth and State/Territory eligibility criteria but who either do not hold a Medicare/DVA card or are not eligible to hold a Medicare/DVA card, can receive a vaccination in a community pharmacy. Pharmacies should use the ‘Urgent Clinical Need’ special Medicare number (25437529911) when submitting a claim in the PPA Portal for administering vaccinations to these patients

  5. No, initial activation of pharmacies as AZ vaccination sites will occur progressively in-line with available operational and logistics capacity and priority will be given to activate those found suitable in the initial EOI process undertaken on behalf of the Department of Health in February – April 2021.

    Pharmacies that agree to be activated and commence administering AZ vaccines will then be progressively transitioned to administer mRNA vaccines (Moderna and/or Pfizer), as supply of mRNA vaccines ramps up later this year. 

    As each site is selected by the Taskforce, the PPA will email pharmacies with an Onboarding Pack which contains a CVCP Program Approval Code required to register for the CVCP Program on the PPA Portal. Pharmacies should not register for the CVCP Program in the PPA Portal until they have been sent the onboarding pack email from the PPA.

  6. Pharmacies who have been selected by the Taskforce will be sent an onboarding pack which will advise when they can start providing vaccinations and submitting claims for payment.

  7. Payment depends on your Modified Monash category, whether it is the first or second dose the patient is receiving, and if it is the second dose, whether your pharmacy delivered the first dose for that patient. Payment amounts are:

    Description MM1 Fee MM2-7 Fee
    First administration $16 $19
    Second administration (where the first administration was undertaken by the same Service Provider) $26 $29
    Second administration (where the first administration was undertaken by a different Service Provider) $16 $19

    Patients cannot be charged for receiving the vaccination.

  8. Modified Monash information can be found at https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-workforce-locator/health-workforce-locator.

    Click on the MMM 2019 tickbox in the Classification Filter, type in your pharmacy’s address and click Search Location. The MM category will be displayed underneath the address and also on the map.

     

  9. Yes, verbal or written informed patient consent must be obtained prior to each administration of the vaccine. Patients are to be advised that their vaccination details must be reported to both the AIR and to the PPA.

    The patient consent form can be located here.

  10. Information on how to register and claim on the PPA Portal is included in the Department’s onboarding pack that will be sent to you by the PPA when you are selected by the COVID-19 Taskforce. Additional information is also in the CVCP user guide located in the Program Rules and other Downloads section of this page.

    Please note, receiving an Online Form from the PPA and submitting this does not mean you have been selected.
    Pharmacies who have submitted their Online Form will be activated by the Taskforce progressively in-line with available operational and logistics capacity.

    As each site is selected by the Taskforce, the PPA will email pharmacies with an Onboarding Pack which contains a CVCP Program Approval Code required to register for the CVCP Program on the PPA Portal. Pharmacies should not register for the CVCP Program in the PPA Portal until they have been sent the onboarding pack email from the PPA.

  11. Claims must be submitted no later than the end of the next calendar month following the vaccination. For example, a vaccine administered in June must be claimed no later than 31 July 2021.

  12. No, the PPA are only able to assist with the registering and claiming process of the program.

    Logistical questions, including registering on the Commonwealth Vaccine Administration System, should be directed to the Vaccine Operations Centre (VOC), whose contact details are in the Department’s onboarding pack you will receive upon your selection into the program.

  13. No, the PPA are only able to assist with the registering and claiming process of the program.

    Contact details for AIR and PRODA will be included in the Department’s onboarding pack sent to you by the PPA.

    If the question relates to how your professional services software can connect to AIR you will need to direct your question to your Software Provider.

  14. Yes. All vaccine information must be uploaded to the AIR. Pharmacies should check the patient’s history on the AIR prior to undertaking any vaccination service.

  15. No, claims must be submitted by the end of the next calendar month following the vaccination. If there were factors beyond your control that prevented you from submitting your claim then you can submit an exceptional circumstances form which will be sent to the Department of Health for consideration. Further information about exceptional circumstances can be found on the PPA website.

  16. Yes, you will be required to confirm that you can still abide by the responses submitted by the old pharmacy owners in their Expression of Interest. You will be required to sign a declaration stating you agree to abide by the Program Rules. You will also be required to provide a PDF of the original EOI response when registering for the Program.

  17. No, patients will be able to choose whether they receive the vaccine and where they receive it. Booking both appointments can be encouraged in your booking management system, but cannot be mandatory.

  18. The PPA offers integration for the CVCP Program however, up to each software vendor to decide whether their software package will integrate with the PPA Portal.
    PlusOne (MedAdvisor) and GuildCare NG (GuildLink) currently integrate with the PPA Portal for the CVCP Program.
    Other software providers may also choose to integrate with the PPA Portal in future, please contact your software provider to discover whether they plan to offer integration with the PPA Portal.

  19. The claim for payment must be submitted in the PPA Portal under the pharmacy’s Service Provider account.

  20. The Department and the PPA will continue to monitor usage of this program to ensure services are delivered appropriately. Compliance and monitoring may be undertaken regardless of whether or not high numbers of services are delivered, in line with the PPA’s Monitoring, Compliance and Audit Factsheet available here.

CVCP Service Resources


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