Procedures - Withdrawal of consent for vaccination in NSW School-Based Immunisation Programs. January 2014

The following advice was provided to secondary and central principals in DN/07/00117. It has been updated to reflect a change to the Parent Information Kits. The procedure that schools follow has not changed.

Schools cooperate with NSW Health to implement the NSW Adolescent School-Based Immunisation Program.

Parent Information Kits are sent to the school prior to the first clinic. These kits contain a consent form and advice to parents about how to consent.

Only students who have this consent form signed by their parent/legal guardian will be vaccinated. It is important that the receipt of signed consent forms is closely monitored.

Despite a signed consent form being provided, a parent/legal guardian is entitled to revoke or withdraw their consent at any time prior to a vaccination taking place. A parent may withdraw their consent by:

providing the school with written notification of the withdrawal of their consent; or

in circumstances where a parentegal guardian is unable to withdraw their consent in writing, the parent/legal guardian may telephone the school to withdraw their consent. If this occurs, the school staff member responsible for coordinating the vaccination program at the school (or his or her delegate) must:

seek clarification that the person on the line is the parent/legal guardian

confirm with the parent/legal guardian the vaccine/s that the withdrawn consent applies to

make a written record of the time and date of the withdrawn consent

make a written record of the student’s name, year and the vaccine/s the withdrawn consent applies to

notify the Director, Public Health Unit, in writing, of any withdrawal of consent. Public Health Units will provide principals with contact details for the Director, Public Health Unit at the time they contact principals to make arrangements for vaccination programs. A sample letter for schools to provide written notification follows

make a copy of the written notification to the Director, Public Health Unit.

Any notifications of withdrawn consent must be kept by the school until collected by the Public Health Unit. Prior to the commencement of vaccination clinics, the nursing team leader will check with the school staff member coordinating the vaccination program for any notifications of withdrawn consent. The nursing team leader will also have checked for any written notifications from the school already sent to the Director of the Public Health Unit.

If there is any doubt as to whether parent/legal guardian consent has been given or not, the student will not be vaccinated.

If you require further information, please contact the Student Health Coordinator on telephone number 02 9244 5321 or email kate.lovelace@det.nsw.edu.au.

Withdrawal of consent for vaccination in NSW School-Based Immunisation Program.

Template letter for schools to notify the Director, Public Health Unit.

Dear Director, insert name of Public Health Unit.

Insert name of school has received from a parent/legal guardian a withdrawal of consent from a school-based immunisation program.

The withdrawal of consent was received on click here to enter a date at insert time.

The student is insert student’s name in insert year group. Consent is withdrawn for the insert name of vaccine eg. human papillomavirus.

Yours sincerely

Name of Principal insert name of principal

Signature of Principal

Click here to insert a date