Outpatient Clinics

Assessment and management of people with history of adverse events or identified risks of serious adverse events to immunisations including COVID-19 immunisations; assessment and management of people with a history of adverse events to antibiotics, particularly those with severe reactions or individuals at high risk for serious infections.

Availability

North South North West Statewide

Scope

• The clinic will provide secondary specialised immunisation services to members of the public aged 12 years and older at risk of severe reactions to immunisations including COVID-19 immunisations. The clinic will also provide antibiotic allergy services for members of the public 16 years of age and older with a history of antibiotic allergy.
• Service will include case management of affected individuals, supervised vaccination clinics, allergy testing, immunisation and antibiotic challenges and de-labelling allergy alerts where appropriate.
• Clinic appointments will be scheduled face-to-face or via telehealth.
• The clinic does not provide services for the following:
  • history of anaphylaxis to stinging insects (see Jack Jumper Clinic)
  • suspected food or environmental allergies**
  • anaesthetic allergy testing**
  • **These services are available for children in the Paediatrics Clinics. For adults, please see HealthPathways Tasmania for care pathways.

Emergency conditions

This clinic is not for emergency presentations

Referral process

Where available (currently THS North only), please refer via HealthLink eReferral through your software system (either Best Practice, or Medical Director). For instructions, see Quick Guide: Creating an eReferral.

Paediatric referrals in the first instance should be referred to the regional General Paediatrics Clinic. Onward referral to the SIAC will be arranged if required on a case-by-case basis.

Referrals for immunisation including COVID-19 immunisations: Professor Katie Flanagan

Referrals for antibiotic case management: Dr Jennifer O’Hern / Associate Professor Paul Cameron

Please see HealthPathways Tasmania Immunology.

Referrals need sufficient information to allow triage and must conform to the Referral Standards as outlined on the For Clinicians page.

Specific requirements for antibiotic allergy referrals are detailed in the individual clinic and condition referral guide. Referrals are registered by the clinic and are triaged according to the specific clinic guidelines.

Referrals are accepted from GPs, Medical Specialists and Public Health Clinicians.

Clinic appointments are based on clinical priority.

Anyone who has experienced an Adverse Event Following Immunisation, including COVID-19 immunisation, should first have their adverse event reported to the Communicable Disease Prevention Unit, Department of Health, through Public Health Services (see Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI)).

Referral template

For use by health professionals only

• Referral template - Medical Director
• Referral template - Best Practice

Additional information

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) – NCIRS resources & ATAGI clinical advices

Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) - Antibiotic Allergy Clinical Update

Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research – Resources – Educational Video

Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) - Patients, Consumers, Carer’s information

Australasian Society of Clinic Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Guidelines: Acute Management of Anaphylaxis

Brighton Collaboration Anaphylaxis: Case Definition Companion Guide

For more information, please see the Tasmanian HealthPathways website.