Dear
Re: Mandatory vaccination for all workers in a healthcare setting
I am writing to inform you about recent changes to the COVID-19 vaccination requirements announced by the QLD Government and a new public health direction that will affect you if you undertake work in a healthcare setting.
Previously, the Queensland Government introduced mandatory vaccination for residential aged care workers, which included allied health professionals who regularly attend and provide care to residents of a residential aged care facility. Mandatory vaccination was also introduced for workers in public health facilities, including public hospitals and public health clinics, and private hospitals..
Now, the mandatory vaccination requirement has been extended to all workers in healthcare, including private sector healthcare workers. This requirement now includes workers in healthcare who undertake work in the following healthcare settings:
- private provider facilities, such as allied health consulting offices
- shared disability accommodation services
- not for profit health organisations providing and/or commissioning public healthcare under a service agreement with any State or Commonwealth agency, including an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Service
- Non Government Organisations delivering healthcare services
- education settings within a healthcare setting
- outreach services in other settings provided by public and private health facilities, residential aged care facilities and shared disability accommodation services, including in-home healthcare services
- aged care services funded by the Australian Government and delivered in the home
- school based healthcare, including in special schools
- healthcare services provided in other settings such as gyms
- mobile services such as mobile dental clinic van or mobile health promotion van
Workers who are unable to have a COVID-19 vaccine can request a COVID-19 vaccination exemption for medical reasons. More information on this is available here.
Workers in healthcare
Workers in healthcare will not be allowed to enter, engage in work or duties, or provide services in a healthcare setting unless the following COVID-19 vaccination requirements have been met:
- By 15 December 2021, have received the prescribed number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine; or
- Where COVID-19 vaccination requirements in another public health direction or an employment direction also apply to the worker in healthcare, the worker must have received the prescribed number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by the date in those requirements; and
- As soon as reasonably practicable after each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the worker in healthcare must provide evidence of complying with the COVID-19 vaccination requirements to their employer, where applicable, and to the responsible person for the healthcare setting.
A ‘worker in healthcare’ means a person who works, undertakes an educational placement, or volunteers in a healthcare setting, including:
- a person who is a self-regulated allied health professional as published on the Australian Government Department of Health website, or
- a qualified person who meets the requirements defined in the Private Health Insurance (Accreditation) Rules 2011 and who provides a service or treatment that attracts or is eligible for a rebate from Medicare or a private health insurance organisation, or
- any other person who works as a health professional, contractor, independent third party providers, other employee or volunteer in a healthcare setting, whether employed by the healthcare setting or performing the work under another arrangement.
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