Dear ,
Re: Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers
I am writing to inform you about the new changes to the vaccination requirements announced by the Western Australian Government that will affect you if you need to access the following health facilities for work purposes:
- A public or private hospital
- A public health service facility
A ‘public health service facility’ means a facility where public health services are provided. A ‘public health service’ is a health service provided by a health service provider; or a contracted health entity under a contract or other agreement entered into with the Department of Health.
Mandatory vaccination will be introduced for health care workers across these health care facilities in a staged approach. Health care workers in the highest risk settings will be vaccinated first.
Health care workers who are unable to have a COVID-19 vaccine can request a COVID-19 vaccination exemption for medical reasons. Immunisation medical exemption criteria is available from the Australian Government website.
Tier 1 - Health care workers in high-risk areas in public and private facilities
From 1 October 2021, health care workers who access tier one health care facilities will need to have had at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Tier one health care facilities include the following public and private facilities:
- intensive care units within a hospital
- high dependency units within a hospital
- emergency departments within a hospital
- respiratory wards within a hospital
- wards with designated respiratory beds within certain regional hospitals
- COVID-19 (testing) clinics
- COVID-19 vaccination community clinics and regional COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
By 1 November 2021, health care workers will need to be fully vaccinated to enter tier one health care facilities.
Tier 2 – Health care workers in all public and private hospitals
From 1 November 2021, health care workers who access tier two health care facilities will need to have had at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Tier two health care facilities include the following:
- all hospitals, both private and public. This includes day hospitals and nursing posts.
By 1 December 2021, health care workers will need to be fully vaccinated to enter tier two health care facilities.
Tier 3 – Health care workers in all public health service facilities
From 1 December 2021, health care workers who access tier three health care facilities will need to have had at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Tier three health care facilities include the following:
- all public health service facility premises, including facilities providing support services and where contracted health entities provide public health services and including vehicles from which public health services are provided
- any premises of the Department of Health or a public health service provider.
By 1 January 2022, healthcare workers will need to be fully vaccinated to enter tier three health care facilities.
A ‘health care worker’ includes all those who provide allied health services to a patient at a health care facility in any capacity and includes students on placement.
Please note that this mandatory vaccination requirement for health care workers does not apply to health practitioners working in private practice in Western Australia.
More information on these changes is available here.
Please stay safe, and if there is anything we can do to assist you during this time, please don't hesitate to contact the office on 03 9940 3900 or email: info@audiology.asn.au.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Tony Coles
CEO
Audiology Australia
Suite 101, 13 Cremorne Street Cremorne, VIC 3121
ABN: 31 168 531 324 | p: 03 9940 3900 | e: info@audiology.asn.au | w: www.audiology.asn.au