WHERE IS NSW LEAVING ITS CHILDREN MOST VULNERABLE TO DISEASE?
* NSW has seven of the 10 worst postcodes in the country for one-year-old vaccinations.
* Brunswick Heads trails the recommended level of 95 per cent immunised at 73 per cent, the worst rate in Australia.
* One-year-old children across all public health networks are below the target of 95 per cent full vaccination.
* Sydney has both the biggest increase in recorded one-year-old vaccinations in the city's east and the worst decreases in the country in the western suburbs.
* NSW regions have both the best and worst rates of vaccinations in one-year-olds, with nearly one quarter not fully immunised on the state's far north coast in 2014/15.
WHAT DRIVES LOW RATES?
* Reasons vary between communities but conscientious objection played a less significant role, dropping for the first time in 15 years.
* In Parramatta reasons included poor recording that may miss out on foreign vaccinations, lack of education or cultural backgrounds.
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
* Federal government's No Jab, No Pay policy has resulted in catch-up vaccinations jumping in demand in the past two months
* Efforts throughout NSW have increased the recording practices but targeted efforts in western Sydney include:
- reminder texts
- engaging with religious leaders and community groups
- targeted vaccination follow-ups
- interviews across the area
HOW DOES THE REST OF THE COUNTRY SHAPE UP?
* Overall the nation is doing well with 91 per cent of one-, two- and five-year-olds vaccinated - only 84,571 not fully vaccinated in 2014/15.
* ACT has the highest rates of immunisation of children under 15 months old, followed by Northern Territory and Queensland.
SOURCE: National Health Performance Authority, The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register and the Western Sydney Local Health District
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