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About the role

Authorised vaccinators are registered health professionals who have completed vaccinator foundation training, a workbook, and a clinical assessment, and are authorised to administer vaccinations. They can administer vaccines listed on the NZ Immunisation Schedule and any other vaccines that are part of an approved immunisation programme to all eligible groups, according to the conditions of their vaccinator authorisation.  

Authorisations are valid for two years. Update training and authorisation renewal needs to be completed every two years. 

A health professional upskilling to be an authorised vaccinator or transitioning to an authorised vaccinator (whole-of-life), needs to be supervised while gaining practical experience and completing their workbook.  

A supervisor is an experienced vaccinator who has relevant and recent vaccinating experience. 

For detail on vaccines and vaccinator requirements refer to the Immunisation Handbook.

Become an authorised vaccinator

People wishing to become authorised vaccinators need to complete training and apply to their local medical officer of health for authorisation.  

Refer to your region’s information, appendix four of the immunisation handbook or talk to your local immunisation coordinator. 

View the Immunisation Handbook

Renew my vaccinator authorisation

Vaccinator training and authorisation are valid for two years from your last training date and need to be renewed if you wish to continue vaccinating.

Refer to your region’s information, appendix four of the immunisation handbook or talk to your local immunisation coordinator if you have questions.  

Note: if you have been authorised through the Workforce Request portal as an authorised vaccinator, you will renew your authorisation in the Workforce Request portal. You are no longer authorised by your region’s medical officer of health. 

View the Immunisation Handbook

Transition to whole-of-life authorisation

The transition pathway to whole-of-life authorisation is designed to support your knowledge and skill development in childhood immunisation if you have not had recent experience vaccinating tamariki. It helps Aotearoa increase the number of childhood vaccinators and increase childhood immunisation rates, and helps the workforce be better prepared to respond to disease outbreaks.

The transition pathway to whole-of-life training and authorisation is available to: 

  • authorised vaccinators with conditions on their current authorisation restricting their independent practice with young age groups 
  • authorised vaccinators who have not had recent (last 24 months) experience vaccinating tamariki aged under 3 years of age 
  • pharmacist vaccinators who want to broaden their scope to deliver more National Schedule vaccines, or upskill to administer vaccines to tamariki aged under 3 years of age

Training programme

Training programme

To upskill to become an authorised vaccinator (whole-of-life) and administer childhood schedule vaccines independently, you need to: 

  • complete supervised practice to develop competence and confidence  
  • complete a workbook  
  • complete a clinical assessment with an approved assessor on a pēpē under 2 years of age 
  • ensure you have a valid CPR certificate 

 

Note that CPR training must meet the requirements in the Immunisation Handbook. 

View the Immunisation Handbook

Authorisation process

Authorisation process

It’s your responsibility to keep track of your authorisation expiry date.

Authorisation step-by-step process

  1. complete the Extending Vaccinator Skills (whole-of-life) course, have a current APC and CPR training certificate  
  2. apply and upload the required documents to the Workforce Requests Portal for approval. Required documents are:
    • your current authorisation letter
    • Extending Vaccinator Skills (whole-of-life) course certificate
    • CPR training certificate
    • Current APC
  3. receive vaccinator authorisation. This authorises you to complete supervised practice and clinical assessment without the need for a standing order or prescription, meaning you can administer vaccines to:
    • people 3 years of age and over, unsupervised  
    • tamariki under 3 years of age, supervised 
  4. complete and submit the workbook sign off sheet and a clinical assessment, on a pēpē under 2 years of age to the Workforce Requests Portal 
  5. receive vaccinator authorisation with supervision conditions removed. This means you can administer vaccines, unsupervised, to people 6 weeks of age and over (whole-of-life)  

View the Workforce Requests Portal 

Read the Workforce Requests Portal user guide

 

Become a BCG endorsed vaccinator

Only authorised vaccinators can apply to become BCG vaccinators via a BCG endorsement.

 

If you are looking for information on tuberculosis legislation and the BCG vaccine view the information on BCG vaccine and vaccinator endorsement.

Training programme

Training programme

If you are an authorised vaccinator wishing to upskill to be authorised to administer BCG vaccines, you need to have been nominated by your employer. Then you need to: 

  • have a valid CPR certificate 
  • have completed a minimum of five BCG vaccinations under clinical supervision  
  • have been assessed as competent by a currently approved BCG clinical assessor. 

For information on the approval process for BCG assessors see the Clinical assessor section.

Endorsement process

Endorsement process

It’s your responsibility to keep track of your endorsement expiry date.  

To be endorsed as a new BCG vaccinator you need to apply to your local Medical Officer of Health. Refer to your region’s webpages to find more information.

Renew my BCG endorsement

Training programme

Training programme

To renew your BCG training you need to: 

  • have a valid CPR certificate.

Endorsement process

Endorsement process

It’s your responsibility to keep track of your endorsement expiry date.  

To update your endorsement as a BCG vaccinator you need to apply to your local Medical Officer of Health. Refer to your region’s webpages to find more information. At a minimum you’ll need to provide evidence of: 

  1. your current vaccinator authorisation  
  2. BCG Endorsed Vaccinator Update course certificate

    You must notify your local MOoH if you are ceasing practice or are no longer practicing in the region. If you want to practice in another region you must get approval from the relevant MOoH in your new region, providing evidence of your current vaccinator authorisation and BCG endorsement and details of your proposed mahi (work) within the region.