Accreditation practice pointer: cold chain management

GP6.1 C The team member who has primary responsibility for cold chain management reviews processes to ensure potency of our vaccine stock

RACGP Standards for general practice.

Delivering potent vaccines is integral to preventative care.  Being biological products, vaccines need to be transported and stored within the temperature range of 2–8°C to be effective.   

General practice must have processes in place for monitoring the immunisation fridge’s temperature and cold chain management. There must also be a written record of all monitoring of refrigerators in which vaccines are stored, including the temperature. Practices can support this process by creating a template for monitoring and recording refrigerator temperatures. Larger general practice could also create a roster for monitoring cold chain compliance.  

The practice team member with primary responsibility for cold chain management must review the following processes to ensure potency of the practice vaccine stock:

  • Ordering and stock rotation protocols

  • Maintenance of equipment

  • Annual audit of our vaccine storage procedures

  • Continuity of the cold chain, including the handover process between designated members of the practice team

  • Accuracy of the digital vaccine refrigerator thermometer.

Margot Schoonmaker