Morningside General Practice achieves remarkable 298% increase in flu vaccination rates

About the practice

• Morningside General Practice Clinic is a well-established family medical centre in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, offering comprehensive general practice care for patients of all ages.

• Located in Morningside Plaza, the clinic provides a wide range of services including routine check-ups, chronic disease management, immunisations, skin checks, and allied health support, with a focus on continuity of care and long-term patient relationships.

• It operates extended hours throughout the week, including weekends, making it a convenient option for individuals and families seeking accessible and reliable primary healthcare in the local community.

What inspired the practice to complete this QI activity?

• With rising influenza (flu) cases linked to declining flu vaccination rates after the COVID-19 pandemic, Morningside General Practice set a goal to increase their patient flu vaccination rates by 10%. This meant taking their 2023 figure of 1,440 vaccinations up to 1,550 vaccinations. The practice, however, far surpassed expectations, achieving a total of 4,179 flu vaccinations during the 2024 flu season — a 298% increase in their flu vaccination rates.  

• This incredible success highlights the power of a well-structured flu clinic model, a whole-of-practice approach, and the dedication and hard work of the individuals who make up the Morningside General Practice team. 

The challenge

• Several members of the nursing team were initially uncertain about their scope of practice, which presented an early challenge. To address this, the Head Nurse conducted initial research to ensure a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Education sessions were then delivered to ensure the team clearly understood the boundaries, responsibilities, and practical application. 

• There were also early concerns regarding the operation of the flu clinic, including its financial viability, overall benefits, and potential impact on doctors. These concerns were resolved by presenting relevant information at a practice team meeting, enabling informed discussion and shared understanding.

What we did

How was Morningside General Practice able to achieve this result? 

To achieve this impressive improvement, Morningside General Practice implemented their flu clinic system through a structured team-based approach that ensured smooth clinic operations and maximised patient participation. Along the way, their Brisbane South PHN Quality Improvement Coach worked side by side with Morningside General Practice to support the practice through this process.  
 
Their practice followed these steps:  

1. Initial meetings were held with the practice’s doctors. The management team presented the idea of running a flu clinic with an overview of how the clinic could potentially run, highlighting both the patient benefits and the practice’s financial benefits of running flu clinics.

2. The practice then used a team approach to create the procedures for nurses, doctors and reception teams, to set responsibilities and refine:

   • ordering processes

   • clinic outlines for set up and logistics

   • cold chain management processes to run the clinic.

3. The lead nurse conducted in-service training for all nursing staff to ensure confidence and understanding of how the flu clinic would run.

4. The reception team were given a written script they could follow when talking with patients. This was designed to increase the team’s confidence in explaining to patients how the flu clinic ran, assist with planning and to manage patient expectations.

5. Social media was used to promote the flu clinic (and its benefits) to patients.

Results and impact

Use successful QI models for your general practice today.

• Morningside General Practice’s success demonstrates that a well-organised flu clinic can significantly improve vaccination uptake. 

• Your practice can take similar steps using Primary Sense reports (Winter Wellness) to identify eligible patients and track vaccination rates.   

• Our step-by-step video can show you how to access the Winter Wellness report: 

What will the practice do to ensure this becomes business as usual

Prepare your practice as we come into flu season  

Flu vaccination plays a crucial role in preventing severe flu complications, hospitalisations, and even deaths. Recent data shows a decline in vaccination rates across Queensland between 2022 and 2024, highlighting the urgent need for proactive vaccination efforts.  An article from the RACGP – Australia at ‘critical juncture in its immunisation trajectory’  also highlights these issues.

• The 2026 Free Flu Vaccination Program | Queensland Health runs from 1 March to 30 September 2026. The Queensland Government continues to provide free flu vaccinations to all Queenslanders in 2026, making this the perfect time for practices to prepare for flu season.  

• Helpful information for immunisation providers can be found on our website: Prevention, Screening and Immunisation | Brisbane South PHN

• Influenza assessment and management advice for clinicians can be found on Brisbane South HealthPathways: Influenza - Community HealthPathways Brisbane South (SpotOnHealth)

What can other practices do to participate? (Key messages for other practices)

Creating your own flu vaccination clinic can benefit the uptake, patient flow, ordering and vaccine use optimisation and efficiency in your clinic and improves business viability. The Quality Improvement team can provide support to ensure you get the best outcomes.  Contact us via email [email protected] or 07 3864 7540 to get started today. 

The 2026 Free Flu Vaccination Program | Queensland Health is available to all Queensland residents, including those without a Medicare card.