GPs will be given a bonus payment to keep child vaccinations up to date. Source: Supplied
DOCTORS will be offered a $12 bonus every time they provide catch-up jabs to busy families who are overdue for childhood vaccinations, in the May budget.
More than 160,000 children in Australia have fallen behind in their vaccinations by at least two months according to health figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph.
These families could stand to lose thousands of dollars under new ‘no jab, no pay’ laws, but the Abbott Government wants to ensure busy or forgetful parents are reminded to get their kids up to date.
As a result, the immunisation strategy will now include a $26 million budget vaccination booster that will include incentive payments to GPs and a new, national immunisation register.
The new, $6 bonus payment will double the existing bonus paid to doctors when they vaccinate to kids to $12 if the family had fallen behind on key immunisation deadlines of 12 months, 18 months and four years.
Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley said parents will lose out financially if they do not vaccinate their children. Source: News Corp Australia
The Abbott government will also establish a national immunisation register in the May budget for all adolescent vaccines given through school-based programs and will explore options to capture adult immunisation records.
This was a reform option called for by the family of baby Riley Hughes, who died after he contracted whooping cough.
The No Jab, No Pay reforms will also fund an information campaign to increase awareness and understanding of the National Immunisation Program and address parents’ concerns regarding immunisation including dispelling common myths.
“I believe most parents have genuine concerns about those who deliberately choose not to vaccinate their children and put the wider community at risk,” Health Minister Sussan Ley said.
“However, it’s important parents also understand complacency presents as a much of a threat to immunisation rates and the safety of our children as conscientious objectors do.
“We’re a government that understands the stresses busy parents face every day and that many missed immunisations are unintentional, which is why we’re providing incentives and support to help keep children up to date with their vaccinations.
“But there are parents intent on refusing to immunise their child and our ‘no jab, no pay, no play’ measure ensures they understand there is a significant price attached to their actions.
“Immunisations don’t just protect your child, but others as well — it’s known in medical terms as ‘herd immunity’.
I believe most parents have genuine concerns about those who deliberately choose not to vaccinate their children and put the wider community at risk
– Health Minister Sussan Ley 
“Vaccination is therefore one area of life where it pays to be part of the crowd.”
Welfare payments including the childcare rebate, the childcare benefit and the annual Family Tax Benefit A payment will now be withheld if a family fails to vaccinate their children.
The target of the laws are the small but rising numbers of vaccine refusers who will not protect their children against preventable diseases on philosophical grounds.
The GP payments will provide an incentive for doctors to identify children in their practice who are overdue for vaccination and call them in for catch up vaccines.
When the catch-up vaccines are given and reported to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, the child’s vaccination status will move from overdue to fully immunised and the doctor will receive a bonus $6 payment for each schedule point that has been caught up.
Ms Ley also urged all Australians to get their annual influenza shot.
“The message is simple — get your flu shot before the flu gets you this winter,” she said.