Kia ora koutou,
Thanks to sustained advocacy and collaborative work across the sector, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) has now contracted the Midwifery and Maternity Providers Organisation (MMPO) to implement, maintain and support a national administration and payment system for all eligible LMC midwives who choose to provide antenatal immunisations. To be eligible, the LMC midwife must be entitled to claim from the Notice (Section 94).
The MMPO’s role in this new funding initiative
The MMPO has been contracted to ensure every eligible LMC midwife across the motu can access:
- A $250.00 + GST payment on completion of the fully funded IMAC Maternal Immunisation Essentials e-learning course.
- Cold chain funding to support safe vaccine delivery and storage in your practice and locality.
- Note - each application for cold chain setup funding will be assessed and approved on a prioritised basis. Further information about how prioritisation will work will be made available shortly.
- Supplier account set up, and procurement and funding support to access vaccination stock.
- Payments to LMC midwives for the administration of antenatal immunisations (Tdap, influenza, COVID-19).
It is important to note that while MMPO administers the claims and payment process, how and where a midwife accesses, manages, and administers vaccines is guided at a regional and local level. This involves LMC midwives working with the Immunisation Coordinators, Local Immunisation Prevention Leads, and Regional Cold Chain Advisors to obtain vaccine stock, establish safe vaccine storage, and maintain accreditation for immunisation delivery.
This new service will help ensure national consistency in administration and payment through the MMPO, while supporting regional and local flexibility in how vaccination services are delivered in midwifery settings.
Your next steps: please find a summary of key steps and information HERE if you are considering (or are already) offering antenatal vaccinations as part of your midwifery care. These include:
- Registering with MMPO’s Tiaki Vaccination Payment Service (TVPS). Registration is free.
- Completing and/or providing your certificate of completion for the IMAC Maternal Immunisation Essentials e-learning course to claim your $250.00 + GST.
- Familiarise yourself with your local immunisation prevention lead (Immunisation Onboarding guide)
- Registering with the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR).
- Checking eligibility and apply for cold chain funding.
- Starting to record vaccination events in the AIR and claiming payment via TVPS.
To find out more detail about the above including payment rates and how to claim, please click HERE. These rates are consistent with those for General Practice.
To read the related NZ College of Midwives communication, please click HERE.
Thank you for the vital role you play in protecting hapū māmā and pēpi. This initiative recognises and supports the work of all LMC midwives in improving antenatal immunisation coverage across Aotearoa.
Ngā mihi nui
Wayne