Nurses and some pharmacists apply for authorisation from a medical officer of health.
Authorised vaccinators can administer vaccines as outlined in their authorisation documentation.
Clinical assessment with an approved assessor
Nurses, paramedics and some pharmacists will apply for authorisation from a medical officer of health.
Pharmacist vaccinators advise Pharmaceutical Society and can give a range of reclassified vaccines.
Authorised vaccinators can administer vaccines as outlined in their authorisation documentation.
Authorised vaccinators are health professionals who are part of an approved immunisation programme who can legally administer vaccines to all ages without a prescription or standing order. Fully authorised vaccinators are authorised under regulation 44A(2) of the Medicines Regulations 1984 by the Director-General of Health or a Medical Officer of Health. This regulation stipulates that the person seeking approval must apply in writing to the Director-General or a Medical Officer of Health and provide the documentary evidence outlined in Appendix 4, A4.1.1 of the Immunisation Handbook.
The following health professionals are eligible to become fully authorised vaccinators. There may be some variation across the different public health units so please check with your region.
General practitioners, nurse practitioners and midwives have prescribing rights in their scope of practice. Therefore, they can administer vaccines permitted within their scope without becoming a fully authorised vaccinator.
Healthcare practitioners with prescribing rights in their scope of practice may choose to complete the vaccinator foundation education from a professional development perspective.
IMAC is commissioned by Te Whatu Ora to provide vaccinator training in Aotearoa. There are two education pathways to become a fully authorised vaccinator.
New vaccinators and provisionally authorised vaccinators must complete one of the following IMAC Vaccinator Foundation Education Courses. Both are the same but are delivered differently:
Authorisation of fully authorised vaccinators is valid for two years from the date of the authorisation approval letter from the Medical Officer of Health. To maintain status as an authorised vaccinator, authorisation must be renewed every two years.
To renew vaccinator status, the vaccinator must complete the vaccinator update course within two years of their foundation course and apply to the local Medical Officer of Health. Other requirements to support application are detailed in the Immunisation Handbook Appendix 4, A4.1.3.
If it has been less than five years since the vaccinator completed an approved vaccinator course the vaccinator must complete the vaccinator update course and complete an additional clinical assessment (each assessment includes two supervised vaccination events).
If it has been more than five years since the vaccinator completed an approved vaccinator course, then the vaccinator must complete another vaccinator foundation course.
Other requirements to support application are detailed in the Immunisation Handbook Appendix 4, A4.1.4.
The education pathway and authorisation to become a provisional vaccinator/provisional pharmacist vaccinator closed on 30 September 2022.
A number of vaccines have been reclassified by the Medicines Classification Committee from prescription medicines to prescription medicine except when administered by pharmacists or registered intern pharmacists who have successfully completed the vaccinator foundation course (or any equivalent training course approved by the Ministry of Health but excluding vaccinators who have completed the provisional vaccinator course) and who comply with the immunisation standards of the Ministry of Health.
Due to these classifications, pharmacist/intern pharmacist vaccinators are not required to apply to a medical officer of health for authorised vaccinator status to be able to administer vaccines that have been reclassified. However, the expectation is they notify Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) when they have completed the requirements specified above, including the course completion date (see Completion of authorisation).
The classification of the vaccines is the reason for the differences of what a pharmacist vaccinator compared with an intern pharmacist can administer, see Immunisation Handbook Appendix 4, Table A4.2.
IMAC is commissioned by Te Whatu Ora to provide vaccinator training in Aotearoa. There are currently two education pathways to become a pharmacist/intern pharmacist vaccinator.
New vaccinators must complete one of the following IMAC Vaccinator Foundation Education Courses. Both are the same but are delivered differently.
The education pathway and authorisation to become a provisional pharmacist vaccinator/provisional intern pharmacist vaccinator closed on 30 September 2022.
Provisionally authorised vaccinators (who are pharmacists/intern pharmacists) need to complete a vaccinator foundation course (VFC) to upskill and achieve full scope of practice as a pharmacist/intern pharmacist vaccinator and deliver the scope of vaccines available.
Authorisation of a pharmacist/intern pharmacist vaccinator is valid for two years from the date of the VFC or VBC. To maintain status and continue to administer vaccinations as a pharmacist/intern pharmacist vaccinator, authorisation must be renewed two yearly.
To renew vaccinator status, you must complete the vaccinator update course and send notification through to the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (PSNZ).
Other requirements to support application are detailed in the Immunisation Handbook Appendix 4, table A4.1.3.
If it has been less than five years since the vaccinator completed an authorised vaccinator course the vaccinator must complete the vaccinator update course and complete an additional clinical assessment (each assessment includes two supervised vaccination events).
If it has been more than five years since the vaccinator completed an authorised vaccinator course then the vaccinator must complete another vaccinator foundation course.
Other requirements to support application are detailed in the Immunisation Handbook Appendix 4, table A4.1.4.
Click here to view our vaccinator foundation courses
Optional course for clinical supervisors to the vaccinating health worker workforce
With the introduction of the new unregulated vaccinator workforces (COVID-19 Vaccinators Working Under Supervision and Vaccinating Health Workers), fully authorised and provisionally authorised vaccinators may be clinical supervisors at the vaccination site.
It is recommended those undertaking or preparing for the clinical supervisor role to complete the vaccinating health worker clinical supervisor course.
Visit the midwives page
Registered midwives practising in New Zealand hold a valid annual practising certificate and have prescribing rights in their scope of practice. This means midwives can administer vaccines permitted within their scope.
IMAC has an online immunisation course tailored specifically for midwives. The Midwife Vaccinator course (online) is available here
