Nationwide mandatory vaccinations for hospital workers

Thursday, 26 August 2021

Nationwide mandatory vaccinations for hospital workers
Private hospitals are calling on the National Cabinet to adopt an Australia-wide position mandating
vaccinations of people working in hospitals.

The Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) has written to the Prime Minister, premiers and chief
ministers seeking their support to adopt a nationally consistent position with respect to the mandatory
vaccination of hospital workers.

APHA CEO Michael Roff said the move was 'essential' to ensure the health and safety of hospital workers,
patients and visitors as well as preserving the capacity of the hospital system going forward.

"The first step is for National Cabinet to seek urgent advice from Australian Health Protection Principal
Committee on mandating COVID-19 vaccination for hospital workers nationally, including identifying a
limited range of exceptions such as medical contraindications to vaccination.

"Private hospitals also call on jurisdictions experiencing a Delta outbreak to rapidly follow New South
Wales' lead and mandate vaccinations for their health care workforce.

"The mobilisation of a huge health workforce to respond to COVID-19 while at the same time continuing
provision of essential hospital services has relied on the cooperation of both the public and private health
sectors and the willingness of healthcare workers and clinicians to step forward for difficult and sometimes
dangerous work."
Hospitals and health services have also been particularly vulnerable to outbreaks causing the furlough of
many thousands of staff resulting in a reduction in health system capacity at a time when it is most needed
he said.

"Despite private hospitals being denied the capacity to vaccinate their own staff, many hospital providers
are doing everything they can to increase vaccination rates amongst the health work force. However, the
sector needs the support and commitment of the National Cabinet to achieve full vaccination of this
essential workforce.

"Clear communications, deliberate planning and coordination will be required so the level of vaccination
required can be achieved in all parts of the hospital sector."
Mr Roff said in addition to setting specific dates by which all clinical and non-clinical workers in the hospital
sector will be required to have received first and second doses of vaccine, APHA was calling on the
Commonwealth, states and territories to prioritise access to and administration of a choice of vaccines to
hospital workers.

-ENDSMedia contact: Frith Rayner, Director Communications and Marketing, 0413 971 999
Level 3 /11 National Circ, Barton ACT 2600. PO Box 4502, Kingston ACT 2604. [T] 02 6273 9000 [F] 02 6273 7000
[E] [W] www.apha.org.au [FB] ValuingPrivateHospitals [Twitter] @priv8hospitals
ABN 82 008 623 809

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