The WA state government has provided a needed boost to keeping those in aged care safer during the colder months.
Preventative care has taken a win today in Western Australia with the state government announcing that it will provide a free RSV vaccine for aged care residents.
Funded through a $2.6 million initiative, the immunisation rollout is intended to provide a needed boost to preventative care over the winter months.
Details are yet to be announced regarding the initiative’s timeline but the RACGP expects it to be in the upcoming months to prepare for winter.
This is the first time the vaccine has been made free for elderly patients in WA with an estimated 15,000 aged care residents expected to benefit from the program this year.
This has come after the rollout of a similar RSV vaccination program that saw the rollout of free RSV vaccinations for infants.
“This RSV program complements our significant investment to secure 130,000 doses of the FluMist nasal spray vaccine for children aged two to 12, which will be a game-changer for protecting kids and families this winter,” Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton said.
“Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect one another, keep vulnerable Western Australians well, and support a stronger, more resilient health system through the winter months.”
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The RACGP has expressed its support for the rollout, detailing how the Arexy RSV vaccine normally costs $300 privately which will now be free for patients in WA aged 65 and over in aged care facilities.
This has been branded by both the RACGP and WA government as a big win for preventative care with a third of WA’s RSV cases last year having been recorded in patients aged over 65.
“There was the impact on the hospital system with respiratory illnesses during winter,” RACGP vice president and WA chair Dr Ramya Raman told TMR.
“This particular initiative, with having the RSV vaccines being available to those who are in aged care, and particularly for our older Western Australians, is going to be really positive.”
Dr Raman emphasised that this was also a win for GPs providing accessible preventative care.
“Preventative health care is bread and butter of general practice for us, and we always talk to our patients about immunisations and vaccination uptake,” Dr Raman told TMR.
“A lot of our GPs see patients in aged care and residential home care.
“Ultimately it means that we’re providing that care for them and preventing illnesses like hospital admissions and pneumonia.
“There’s a broader benefit for the system wide resilience during the winter season and for our hospital systems as well, because we do know that there are many hospital presentations from aged care and residential homes.”
