Do you need a referral for childhood immunisation?

Before vaccination, the provider checks the child’s age, previous doses, health history, allergies, current illness, and available records. This helps identify which vaccines are due and whether timing should be adjusted. Family medicine and paediatrics may provide immunisation. A referral can be needed when a child has a complex medical history or requires advice from a specialist service.

Ask the clinic whether direct booking is available and whether a referral is required. Bring the child’s vaccination record and tell the clinician about previous reactions, regular medicines, allergies, or recent illness. If records are incomplete, the provider can help clarify what is documented and discuss a catch-up plan. Keep the appointment details available so future doses can be arranged.

Contact a clinician before vaccination if the child is acutely unwell, has had a serious reaction after an earlier dose, or has a condition that affects immune function. Seek urgent help for breathing difficulty, facial swelling, collapse, or marked unresponsiveness after any injection. Do not wait for a routine referral if an emergency reaction is suspected.

Ask which vaccines are due, whether a referral is required, what side effects to expect, how to manage fever or soreness, and when to seek help after the appointment.