22 October 2021

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccines: New requirements relating to vaccination of disability workers in Western Australia

The Western Australia Government has announced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for certain workers in Western Australia, including disability workers. There will also be requirements for providers.

Key Points

• New requirements are being introduced for COVID-19 vaccination of disability workers in Western Australia.
• Disability workers will be required to receive a first dose of a COVID vaccine by 1 December 2021 and be fully vaccinated by 31 December 2021.
• Residential aged care workers, including those supporting NDIS participants, are already required to be fully vaccinated by 17 November 2021.
• Employers will be required to keep records, including copies of the evidence of vaccination, and ensure unvaccinated staff are not permitted to work.
• Ensure that you and your workers understand what these mandatory requirements are, and how they affect the supports and services you deliver.
• Review your business continuity and contingency plans, to ensure that continuity of critical supports can be maintained while complying with the new vaccination requirements.

COVID-19 vaccination requirements

The Western Australian Government has announced a mandatory vaccination policy for all disability workers.

Under the policy, residential and non-residential community care services, including disability services, are considered high risks occupations. Disability workers will be required to have the first dose of a COVID vaccine by 1 December 2021 and be fully vaccinated by 31 December 2021.

Residential aged care workers, including those supporting NDIS participants, are already required to be fully vaccinated by 17 November 2021.

Employers will be required to keep records, including copies of the evidence of vaccination, and ensure unvaccinated staff are not permitted to work.

We strongly encourage you to:

• read the announcement on the Western Australia Government website
• review the Western Australia Government website, including the FAQs, for details of the policy and its requirements of workers and employers. In the lead up to the nominated timeframes, the public health directions and supporting documents will be made available on the Western Australia Government website.

Consistent with obligations of registered providers under the NDIS Code of Conduct and the NDIS Practice Standards to provide supports and services in a manner and environment that is safe for participants, providers should ensure that they and their disability workers comply with these requirements.

Supporting workers to access the COVID-19 vaccine

Please ensure that you and your workers understand what these new requirements are, and how they affect the supports and services you deliver. Encourage your workers to arrange a vaccination.

Registered NDIS Provider obligations

Compliance with state laws is a condition of registration

Registered NDIS providers will be required to comply with the Western Australia Government public health directions as a condition of registration.

Business continuity and outbreak management planning

All registered NDIS providers are reminded of their obligations regarding continuity of critical supports, and to review business continuity and contingency plans for emergencies and disasters.

You are encouraged to engage with workers on their vaccination status and their plans for vaccination. These discussions should inform your business continuity and contingency plans, and outbreak management plans.

Refer to our provider alert of 6 August 2021.

Notification of changes or events

Registered NDIS providers must notify the NDIS Commission of any change or event that significantly affects your ability to comply with any of your conditions of registration, including compliance with the NDIS Practice Standards. If the changes or events result from the COVID-19 outbreak you must use the COVID-19 notification of events form to report these changes.

The requirements to notify the NDIS Commission of reportable incidents under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018 are separate from the COVID-19 notification of changes or events and remain unchanged.

NDIS Commission COVID-19 vaccine information and resources

The COVID-19 vaccine information webpage on our website contains links to updates about COVID-19 vaccines and resources for NDIS providers.

We also have a COVID-19 vaccine webpage containing information for people with disability.

IMPORTANT CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL PROVIDERS

As vaccination rates increase across Australia and governments continue to make plans to ease community restrictions - it is vital that people with disability are supported, in whatever way they require, to access vaccinations.

 You have an important role to play!

There are a number of actions you can take today:

• Talk about vaccination to the people with disability that you support
• Offer assistance, where needed, to access information about vaccination from reliable and trusted sources, such as the person’s GP
• Provide active support to make an appointment and to attend vaccination appointments.

Please refer to the letter sent to CEOs by the Acting Commissioner on 21 September 2021. 

Further information is available on the Department of Health website, including Easy Read and Auslan resources.

Vaccinations can be booked by visiting the Vaccine Clinic Finder or by contacting the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 1800 020 080. The Disability Gateway is now also assisting people with disability that might need help to book a COVID-19 vaccine.