A weekly drop-in immunisation clinic has commenced at Maroochydore Child Health, giving busy families, children and pregnant women a more flexible way to stay up to date with vaccinations without needing to book an appointment.
Starting today, the new Wednesday afternoon clinic has been designed to make immunisations easier to access, especially for those juggling work, school and other commitments.
Sunshine Coast Health Clinical Nurse Debora Armstrong said the team is very experienced in supporting children and families, including those who might feel nervous.
“It will be every Wednesday afternoon 2pm until 6pm, but we will have our last walk ins at 4:45 just in case we’ve got a bit of a line-up of people to get through until six, and we will work that out and see if that needs to be changed as time goes on,” she said.
The clinic is available to children aged 0-5 for childhood and influenza immunisations, adolescents who have missed their year 7 and 10 school immunisations, and women who need to get their maternal pregnancy immunisations.
FluMist, an intranasal influenza immunisation, is also available for people aged 2-17 as a needle-free option.
“It’s very easy, it’s just one little squirt up each nostril, most children – obviously we get mum or dad to have a cuddle with them – but they’re very accepting of the nasal flu mist, so they don’t have to have a needle,” Ms Armstrong said.
Sunshine Coast Health Public Health Nurse Holly Whitfield said the drop-in clinic is just another way to improve immunisation rates locally, by making appointments easier to access.
“The Sunshine Coast has the lowest coverage in Queensland especially areas like Maroochydore, Noosa and Noosa Hinterland, so back in 2024 Public Health and Child Health developed the Sunshine Coast improving immunisation program and that was to help our low access so historically GPs were the only places that did immunisation clinics,” she said.
“To create better access and increase those immunisation rates Child Health started running immunisation clinics across six areas across the coast and they’ve now got 15 clinics and immunise up to 400 people a month.
“So, we did a survey of the community that have been coming to the Child Health Clinics and 73% of them asked for out of hours clinics so we’ve listened.”
Ms Whitfield said it is a welcoming and judgement-free space for families needing support.
“People falling behind is our specialty we love them, we get them referred to us, Deb and I will do catch ups for them, we do overseas records, we will do anything to get those patients up to date and we will support them and their families and that’s why we’re doing the drop in clinics to extend those hours to get everyone in, because we’ve currently got a four week wait (for booked appointments) - it’s so, so popular.”
Maroochydore Child Health is located at 60 Dalton Drive, Maroochydore. People attending the clinic should bring their person health record book (red book) and their Medicare card.
Those who prefer a booked appointment, can contact Child Health Access on 1300 591 494.