NSW to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all health workers – but not aged care yet

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard will sign a public health order in the coming days requiring compulsory vaccination for all health workers by 30 September after reaching an agreement with the state’s peak medical groups representing hundreds of thousands of workers.

The decision to introduce mandatory vaccinations comes after NSW recorded a COVID-19 transmission event in a hospital every day for the past two weeks.

“The public and private health systems have an obligation to provide safe work environments for their staff and safe circumstances for their patients,” said Mr Hazzard.

But NSW and Victoria are yet to make public health orders for all aged care workers, part-time and full time, to have at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine before 17 September after agreement was reached at the National Cabinet meeting on 28 June.

Queensland became the latest State to make the public health order, reported The Weekly Source yesterday. Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania have already mandated the orders.

National Cabinet had agreed a COVID-19 vaccine would be mandated for residential aged care workers as a condition of working in an aged care facility through shared State, Territory and Commonwealth authorities and compliance measures in late June.

Since then, the number of vaccinations among residential care workers has rise with numbers growing six per cent in a week, giving hope that about 90 per cent will be vaccinated by 17 September.

Nationally as at 18 August, 187,102 aged care workers are reported as having received a first dose (67 per cent). Of these, 128,031 are reported as having received two doses (46 per cent).

But that still leaves 10% of workers – or around 36,000 workers – potentially unvaccinated as of 17 September  – either by choice or lack of access to a vaccine.

The nursing figures are similar.

Brett Holmes, General Secretary of the NSW Nurses & Midwives Association, has said that a survey by the union this week revealed 75 per cent of about 7,000 nurses who responded are fully vaccinated.

However, about 10 per cent of public sector nurses said they would consider leaving the workforce if vaccination was compulsory.

“There is still a concerning number of people – about 11 per cent – indicating their hesitancy about vaccination or how difficult it is to get a vaccine, particularly in regional areas,” said Mr Holmes.

Given the severe workforce shortages that already exist in Australia’s aged care workforce, will the residential care system be able to cope with a potential exodus of 36,000 workers?

It is a question both Governments and providers will need to resolve quickly to ensure the safety and quality of care for older Australians living in our aged care homes.