Vaccinating Health Workers (VHWs) administer vaccines under the supervision of a registered health professional vaccinator (supervisor). The vaccines VHWs can administer depend on their stage of authorisation.
The chart below shows the steps to become an authorised VHW Stage 1 and then VHW Stage 2.
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The online course takes about six hours to complete, including a multi-choice question assessment.
Click here to view the VHW Stage 1 course. This includes the practical workshop locations and dates.
The employer is required to organise additional training to cover topics such as consumer rights, privacy and Te Tiriti, CPR, and the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR).
The IMAC online course and assessment should be completed before attending the IMAC workshop. Ideally, employer-led education should also be completed prior to the workshop.
Upload the required documents to the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Workforce Request Portal. On receipt of an authorisation letter, you can practice your skills with direct 1:1 supervision.
Work with 1:1 supervision gaining practical experience and completing relevant sections of the workbook. When ready, complete the practical assessment.
Upload the completed practical assessment form to the Workforce Request Portal. On receipt of updated authorisation letter, you can work as a VHW Stage 1 with 1:6 supervision (one supervisor for up to six VHWs).
Any of the four vaccines that were not demonstrated in the practical assessment can be assessed using a competency assessment with the supervisor. Retain as evidence in the workbook. Not required to send to the portal.
Before registering for Vaccinating Health Worker Stage 2, you'll need to have:
You’ll need to be an authorised VHW Stage 1 (all four vaccines) and complete additional employer-led training.
Before starting the VHW Stage 2 course you’ll need to have administered at least 25 vaccines over the past 6 months. These need to occur over at least 8 weeks. This shows you’ve reached the level of experience needed to provide other vaccines to a wider range of people.
This course enables VHWs to complete specific checks when a registered health professional prepares vaccines. Becoming a second checker is an excellent grounding before beginning to prepare vaccines as part of your VHW Stage 2 role.
Authorised VHWs Stage 2 can deliver a wider selection of vaccines and can administer some vaccines to children of a younger age.
The online course takes approximately four hours to complete. It offers an overview of current best practices, the administration of Comirnaty, influenza and MMR vaccines to individuals aged 5 years and older and covers the preparation of MMR and Comirnaty vaccine doses.
Click here to view registration options for the VHW Stage 2 online course. This includes the practical workshop locations and dates.
Upload the required documents to the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Workforce Request Portal. On receipt of an authorisation letter, you can continue to give all of the VHW Stage 1 vaccines. You can also administer MMR vaccine to those aged 11 years and over once you have completed the workbook competency assessment.
Gain experience in the workplace, administering vaccines to children aged 5 to 10 years and prepare COVID-19 and MMR vaccines under direct 1:1 supervision. Once you’ve passed the practical assessment vaccinating two tamariki aged 5-11 years of age and completed the VHW Stage 2 Workbook, you can update your authorisation.
Upload the completed practical assessment form to the Workforce Request portal. On receipt of the updated authorisation letter, you can work as a VHW Stage 2 with 1:6 supervision (one supervisor for up to six VHWs).
Any vaccines not administered or prepared in the practical assessment can be assessed using a competency assessment with the supervisor. Retain evidence in the workbook. This is not required to be sent to the portal.
All authorised VHWs are required to renew their authorisation every two years. You’ll need to complete an online update course and submit your certificate to extend your authorisation for another two years.
Note: If you are a VHW Stage 1 whose authorisation has expired past 31 days and you have completed the online update course, please ensure this form is completed IN FULL. Practical assessor must be currently authorised vacinator/pharmacist vaccinator (minimum 6 months' vaccinator experience).
Questions on the authorisation process should be emailed to: vaccinatorauthorisations@health.govt.nz
For questions relating to course registration, eligibility or employee-related matters, please email imaceducation@auckland.ac.nz
Health NZ VHW Information Sheets for Employers, Clinical Supervisors and VHWs
Ministry of Health VHW information on their website
If you would like to download and print a current version of the assessment form, please click the following –VHW Stage 1 form or VHW Stage 2 form.
For questions on the authorisation process, please email vaccinatorauthorisation@health.govt.nz.
A list of currently planned face-to-face practical workshops can be found here. Your employer will book you in or make arrangements for another workshop time if needed.
