The NSW Central West Division of General Practice (CWDGP) said the region’s vaccination rates had dropped to 89 per cent, just below the national target of 90 per cent or above but well below the 94 per cent immunisation rate achieved in recent years.

Nationally, the figure has dropped to a seven-year low of 83 per cent, putting communities at risk of preventable diseases such as measles, mumps and whooping cough.

“Locally we’re not quite that low but obviously we aim for 100 per cent,” CWDGP practice support manager Deb Bardon said.

“In the past it’s been up around 93 or 94 per cent.”

Ms Bardon said new cut-off dates for childhood immunisation were one factor that had potentially influenced the decline.

The Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) has also blamed a Federal Government move to end an immunisation scheme that funded general practitioners to set up reminder and recall systems at their practices.

The AGPN has predicted vaccination rates will continue to fall in coming years.

Orange general practitioner Bruce Whitmill said he hadn’t noticed a decline in vaccination rates at his practice, which he said continued to send out reminder notices to parents.

“It’s terribly, terribly important, it’s one of the most important things you can do,” he said.

“Statistically, you run a much bigger risk [if you don’t vaccinate].”

AGPN chair Dr Emil Djakic said children who weren’t vaccinated could pass on the infection to adults who were at risk of serious complications such as pregnant women, the elderly and indigenous Australians.

lisa.cox@ruralpress.com