http://www.tasmaniavaccinesolutions.com.au/

Tasmania Vaccine Solutions, Launceston (2026)

15/02/2026

First Week of Nurse Practitioner School

Day one of Nurse Practitioner school and I won’t pretend this feels small.

It feels big. Heavy. Exciting. A little terrifying.

This step isn’t just about study or a new title. It’s about stepping into deeper responsibility, clinical, ethical, human and doing it in a way that actually serves Tasmania, not just ticks boxes.

Today feels especially significant because of the people beside me.

Having mentors like Jane, who has walked this path with integrity, courage, and an unwavering commitment to patients, makes this leap feel possible. Not easy but possible.

And standing alongside people like Emily, who represents what’s next for nurse-led care, is a reminder that this work isn’t theoretical. It’s real. It’s happening. And it matters.

I’m also incredibly grateful for the backing of Mission Health, a place that genuinely values nurses, community care, and doing things properly. Knowing I’m supported by a team that believes in nurse practitioners and nurse-led models gives this jump a solid landing zone.

Why does this matter for Tasmania?

Because Nurse Practitioners mean better access to care.
Because they help close gaps where services are thin.
Because skilled nurses staying local strengthens communities.

I’m stepping into something bigger than myself with a lot of gratitude, a healthy dose of nerves, and a very clear sense of why this work matters.

Here we go.

10/02/2026

Business Wednesday

Really grateful to have been part of Launceston Chamber of Commerce Members Connect, kicking off 2026 with such an important conversation.

When people hear psychosocial risk, it’s often talked about as an individual issue resilience, coping, wellbeing. My lived experience has shown me something different.

Across a career in public and private sectors, interstate and internationally, I’ve seen incredibly capable, committed people working in systems that quietly create harm. Not because people don’t care but because work is designed with constant demand, high responsibility, limited control, and inconsistent support.

In these environments, people are often expected to absorb pressure, frustration, and even abuse as “part of the job”. And when concerns are raised, how organisations respond really matters.

That’s where psychosocial risk actually lives in system design, workload, decision-making, and culture not in individual “fragility”.

It was a privilege to be part of an honest, practical discussion alongside Courtney from Safety Forward, focused on simple, effective changes leaders can make to better support their teams.

Psychosocial safety isn’t built through posters or mindfulness rooms alone.
It’s built through how work is structured, how pressure is managed, and how people are supported when things get tough.

Thanks to Alina Bain, Bianca Welsh, Naomi Walsh, and the Chamber team for creating space for real conversations, and to Telstra and St Lukes for their support.

A strong start to the year and an important reminder that safer systems create better outcomes for everyone.

09/02/2026

Flu Deaths Are Rising and Nurse-Led Solutions Matter

The latest national data is a timely reminder that influenza is not a mild illness for everyone.
In 2025, Australia recorded more than 750 flu-related deaths, with July marking the highest monthly toll in years.

That matters especially for the people we care for most.

What we’re seeing

Vaccination uptake has declined, particularly among adults

Older Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those with chronic illness remain at highest risk

Access remains a barrier for many limited appointments, travel distance, time off work, or cost

Influenza outcomes are shaped as much by access as they are by awareness.

Where nurse-led programs come in

This is where nurse-led vaccination services play a critical role.

Across workplaces, community clinics, aged care settings, and mobile outreach, nurses are delivering vaccinations in ways that fit real life not just clinic schedules.

At Tasmania Vaccine Solutions, the focus is simple:

bring vaccination to where people already are

reduce friction and delay

support early, preventative care before flu season peaks

It’s flexible, practical, and grounded in public health principles and it works.

Why this matters in Tasmania

Tasmania’s geography and population profile mean access gaps are felt quickly, particularly in regional and rural communities.

When vaccination is harder to access, entire communities are left more vulnerable.
Bringing care to people rather than expecting people to navigate complex systems is one of the most effective ways to lift coverage and reduce preventable illness.

What helps

Booking vaccination early, before flu activity escalates

Encouraging workplaces and community groups to plan ahead

Supporting nurse-led programs that expand access

Sharing accurate information without alarm

Flu season returns every year.
Preparation doesn’t need to be complicated it just needs to be accessible.

Preventive care works best when it’s local, timely, and delivered by the right people, in the right places.

That’s what we’re focused on building.

05/02/2026

🌿 Public Health Hero Friday

Clifford Craig (1896–1986)

Public health heroes aren’t always loud reformers or headline makers.
Sometimes they’re the people who build, document, and steady the system from the inside.

Dr Clifford Craig was a surgeon, radiologist, teacher, medical leader, and historian who devoted decades of his working life to the Launceston General Hospital, arriving in Tasmania in 1926 as Surgeon-Superintendent.

He wasn’t chasing titles or trends.
He focused on standards, training, and continuity of care.

Craig played a key leadership role at LGH during a period of enormous change in medicine. He contributed to the development of surgical and radiology services, supported nurse education, and helped professionalise hospital practice in Northern Tasmania. His influence was practical, clinical, and institutional.

Later, he became the official historian of the hospital, authoring The First Hundred Years: 1863–1963, the centenary history of the Launceston General Hospital. That act alone says a lot.

Public health depends on memory.
On understanding how systems evolve.
On learning what worked, what failed, and why.

Craig understood that preserving institutional knowledge is itself a form of public health work.

Today, his legacy lives on through the Clifford Craig Foundation, which supports local medical research and improvement projects in Northern Tasmania.

I’m honoured to receive a research grant connected to that legacy, supporting work focused on systems, processes, and prevention, not quick fixes. The kind of work that rarely makes noise, but quietly makes care safer.

Different era.
Same lesson.

Strong health systems don’t happen by accident.
They’re built, and remembered by people like Clifford Craig.

03/02/2026

Business Wednesday

Building a new health program isn’t just about the clinical idea, it’s about everything that sits underneath it.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been building a nasal spray flu vaccination program from the ground up. Not the vaccine itself, but the systems that make it safe, compliant, and workable in real-world community settings.

That’s meant carefully linking eligibility screening, informed consent, bookings, payments, and communication with privacy, data security, and clinical governance front of mind.

Because this vaccine is newly approved for use in Australia and not yet included in the Australian Immunisation Handbook, there wasn’t a local template to work from. I’ve reviewed international guidance from the UK, US, and EU, alongside WHO and ATAGI-aligned evidence, and translated that into a model that fits Australian legislation, professional standards, and everyday clinical practice.

The result is a local, community-based clinic run on weekends because that’s when families can realistically attend without juggling work, school, and life.

Behind the scenes, that includes:

• evidence-based eligibility screening
• consent that is clear and meaningful
• structured post-vaccination information and safety checks
• secure data handling and reporting
• clinical governance that prioritises safety, accountability, and best practice

I’ll share clinic details once dates and venues are finalised. For now, thank you for the interest and thoughtful questions, it’s reassuring to see families engaged in how healthcare is delivered, not just what’s delivered.

01/02/2026

MYTH BUSTING MONDAY 💥
“The nasal flu vaccine isn’t as effective as the needle.”

❌ Myth

✅ Fact:
Large studies comparing the nasal flu vaccine with the needle show that, in children, the nasal option works just as well at protecting against influenza, with a similar safety profile.

As a nurse, I care about evidence.
As a mum, I care about whether my child will actually agree to get vaccinated.

For many kids, a needle-free option means:
• less fear
• less stress
• better cooperation
• and more children actually getting protected

And a vaccinated child is always better than an unvaccinated one.

This year, I’ll be choosing the nasal flu vaccine for my own daughter because it’s evidence-based, approved, and the right option for her.

I only offer options I’d be comfortable choosing for my own family.

📍 Tasmanian clinics coming soon
💉 Evidence first. Choice matters.

28/01/2026

When flu was “just a winter thing” and kids were an afterthought

There was a time when flu was talked about as a short, sharp winter illness.
Usually a concentrated period of illness, then it was assumed to be over until the following year.
That’s not what’s happening anymore.

Across Tasmania and Australia, influenza activity in recent seasons has extended well beyond the traditional winter window. Surveillance data at both state and national levels shows flu continuing into spring and, at times, even summer. The tidy idea of a neat, predictable “flu season” no longer matches what’s happening.

In practical terms, that means:
• flu is circulating for longer
• people are getting sick later in the year
• treating flu prevention as a winter-only problem is a bit like packing away the warm jacket in Tassie because the calendar says “summer”

At the same time, one group has consistently been under-prioritised in flu prevention: children.

Despite being extremely efficient at spreading respiratory viruses (no offence, kids), childhood flu vaccination is often framed as optional or secondary. Something families get to if they remember, between school lunches and forgotten library books. Nationally, vaccination coverage in children has historically lagged behind other age groups.
And when kids get flu, they don’t always just get a sniffle and bounce back.
Some become quite unwell, missing a week or more of school or, in some cases, needing hospital care.

As a nurse, one thing has become very clear to me: availability alone doesn’t equal protection.
Access matters just as much.

This vaccine has been used internationally for years, especially in child-focused immunisation programs because it:
• improves vaccination uptake
• reduces needle distress
• removes one of the biggest barriers families face
• helps protect children who might otherwise miss out

It’s not new science.
It’s the same science, delivered with children in mind.

Since my last post, I’ve had a lot of thoughtful questions, so I want to address the most common ones properly.

💰 Cost

The cost is $65 per child.

This reflects:
• the higher cost of the nasal vaccine itself
• strict cold chain handling requirements
• screening to make sure it’s appropriate for each child
• Clinics are delivered by experienced, locally based authorised nurse immunisers with extensive experience working with children, all holding current Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) checks.

This year, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia are providing the needle-free FluMist® vaccine for young children (aged 2-5) while Tasmania continues to offer bulk-billed injectable influenza vaccines for children aged 2–5.

As an independent nurse-led service, I’m not able to offer bulk billing. Services are privately provided, with a focus on safety, time, and child-centred care.

Ingredients & product information

Transparency matters.

I’m very happy to share the official product information and ingredient insert for anyone who would like to read it in full. I’ll link this in the comments so people can access the original source.

😬 Adults with needle-related anxiety

At this stage, the nasal flu vaccine is approved by the TGA for children aged 2-18. That said, needle fear is something I work with every week, and there are other strategies I use to help adults get vaccinated safely and respectfully, without shame or eye-rolling.

What’s happening next

These clinics won’t be limited to one location.

I’m planning to run nasal flu vaccine clinics after Easter, depending on venue availability and community demand. Once locations and dates are confirmed, booking details will be shared.

Parents and carers may also receive a flu vaccine on the day, subject to standard screening and consent.

Why I’ve brought this to Tasmania

Because flu isn’t neatly confined to winter anymore.
Because kids are often forgotten in flu prevention strategies.
Because when patterns change, healthcare needs to keep up.

Healthcare works best when it adapts to real-world needs. This is evidence-based, child-centred care that prioritises safety, comfort, and outcomes.

26/01/2026

Needle-Free Flu Vaccination Is Coming to Tasmania in 2026 👃

In 2026, I’ll be running FluMist nasal spray flu vaccine clinics in Tasmania.
A needle-free flu vaccine for children that has been used successfully overseas for many years.

For families who struggle with needles, this is a genuinely exciting option. And let’s be honest, that’s a lot of kids.

Why this matters

Around 1 in 4 Australian children are afraid of needles, which can be a real barrier to vaccination

In countries where FluMist has been used for years, childhood flu vaccination rates have significantly increased

Same protection, without the stress, tears, or needle anxiety

Who it’s for

Approved for children aged 2–18 years

Offered as a private vaccination service in Tasmania

About the vaccine

Nasal spray, no needles

Two quick sprays, one in each nostril

Trivalent formulation, aligned with WHO and ATAGI recommendations

Administered by a trained health professional

More details on clinic locations, dates, and bookings will be shared closer to the 2026 flu season.

One less needle. One more reason to protect kids this winter.

21/01/2026

Most of us have already met Typhoid Mary, not literally, but through the legend.
The cook who never felt sick.
The woman who carried typhoid without knowing it.
The asymptomatic spreader who became a case study in what happens when public health meets human rights… and everything gets messy.

Mary Mallon infected dozens while working as a cook in early 1900s New York. Each outbreak traced back to her, but she refused to believe it because she felt perfectly fine. No fever, no symptoms, no warning. Eventually, the city quarantined her twice, for a combined total of almost three decades.

And here’s where it gets tricky.

Was it justified?
Was it ethical?
Was it preventable?

If you zoom out, Mary wasn’t malicious, she was a working-class immigrant woman in a time with almost no health education, no antibiotics, and no modern screening. The system failed to support her, then punished her.

But the outbreaks she caused? They were very real.

This is why public health is never just about germs, it’s about ethics, equity, education, and systems that don’t leave people behind.

Because history’s lesson is clear:
When communities don’t have access to screening, good information, or safe alternatives, outbreaks aren’t a “Mary problem”. They’re a systems problem.

Keep people safe before there’s a crisis.
Support individuals so they never become a cautionary tale.

Prevention isn’t glamorous, but it’s what keeps communities steady and stories like Mary’s impossible.

19/01/2026

We’re Still Not Ready for the Next Pandemic, But We Can Be 💉🦠

A new report from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) says the world remains highly vulnerable to the next pandemic and it’s time for a serious rethink of how we prepare.

Here’s what the experts are calling for 👇

🩺 Care — Strengthen and properly fund primary healthcare systems so they can hold steady under pressure. When local GPs, nurses, and community clinics are supported, everyone’s safer.

📊 Measure — Build real-time monitoring systems that track not only health, but how disease affects our economy, environment, and wellbeing.

🤝 Cooperate — Pandemics don’t respect borders. We need stronger global collaboration, transparent communication, and fair access to vaccines and treatments.

The lesson from COVID-19 is clear: being “ready next time” takes more than hope, it takes action, honesty, and investment in people and systems that keep us safe.

👩‍⚕️ Why This Matters (Here in Tassie and for You)

It’s not just when the next pandemic hits it’s how ready we are.
That includes your GP, local hospital, your workplace policies, and yes, you.

When primary care is strong, frontline workers (like me) can do our jobs without being overwhelmed. That means more people get the care they need, on time.

Better risk tracking means faster responses fewer outbreaks, fewer disruptions, and no more “we didn’t see it coming.”

And global cooperation means we’re not scrambling for PPE, vaccines, or medicines when panic sets in.

We all said “never again” after COVID but never again doesn’t happen by accident.
It takes planning, investment, honesty, and trust.

Preparedness is everyone’s business, it lives in your workplace, your community, your phone, and your next health check-up.

💡 What You Can Do

💉 Check your jabs.
Make sure you’re up to date, it’s one of the simplest ways to protect yourself and everyone around you.

🏥 Know your local health team.
Find out who your nearest GP, nurse, or clinic is, and how they’d reach you in an outbreak. Preparation starts close to home.

📱 Share facts, not Facebook drama.
Stick with credible info (Public Health Tasmania, your GP, or trusted health orgs). If it sounds wild or secretive, it probably is.

💙 Appreciate your healthcare workers but don’t leave it all to them.
We’ll keep showing up, but real resilience comes when we all play our part, together.

Preparedness isn’t panic, it’s care in advance.
Science gives us the tools.
Love gives us the reason. ❤️

15/01/2026

💉 Vaccine Hero Friday: Dr Kate O’Brien, Global Guardian of Immunisation

This week’s vaccine hero is Dr Kate O’Brien, a Canadian paediatrician who leads the World Health Organisation’s Immunisation and Vaccines Department.

Dr O’Brien has spent her life making sure everyone, everywhere has access to life-saving vaccines, no matter where they live or how much money they have.

She’s worked on the ground in remote Indigenous communities, refugee camps, and major hospitals always with one goal: to protect people before they get sick.

Dr O’Brien says: “The success of vaccines is that, basically, nothing happens.”
Because when vaccines work, disease doesn’t.

She also reminds us that: “Vaccine equity remains one of the most urgent global health challenges of our time.”

And that’s what makes her a true hero leading global efforts to protect every child, in every corner of the world.

💉 Quiet prevention. Global impact. Real leadership.

13/01/2026

Business Wednesday....A Very Human Moment

This week I had one of those moments where your stomach drops and you think… oh no.

I sent out 103 brochures to local businesses and didn’t put enough postage on the envelopes. Instead of just receiving my flyer, each business ended up with a $3.35 Australia Post invoice.

Cue instant embarrassment.

I could have ignored it. Hoped it would quietly go away. Told myself it was small and probably not worth addressing.

But it didn’t sit right.

So I emailed every business. I said sorry. I explained what happened. And I told them I would fix it.

Not because it was comfortable (it wasn’t), but because honesty matters to me. Especially when I get something wrong.

What this reminded me:
• Mistakes happen, even when your intentions are good
• People appreciate being treated like people, not problems
• Owning it early is always better than hoping it disappears

Next time I’ll double-check postage, slow down before a bulk send, and probably triple-check everything admin-related. Lesson well and truly learnt.

Running a small business isn’t just polished posts and wins. Sometimes it’s awkward emails, swallowing your pride, and choosing transparency over silence.

And honestly? I’d rather be known for fronting up than pretending I’m perfect.

Tasmania Vaccine Solutions

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