THE ACT government is working towards making vaccinations mandatory for healthcare staff.

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith made the announcement this morning (October 5), saying consultation is already underway with the territory’s healthcare workforce and other key stakeholders on making vaccinations mandatory.

However, the Health Minister said healthcare staff will be required to get vaccinated under a new public health direction, which will be put in place by the chief health officer.

Under it, Ms Stephen-Smith said it will focus on staff who have the highest risk of coming into contact with COVID-19 positive people, including:

• Front line health care workers in hospitals or any health care facility operated by Canberra Health Services.
• Health workers in a day hospital, designed as a facility where a person is admitted for surgical and medical treatment and discharged on the same day.
• Hospice workers
• People who work in the ambulance services and other patient transport. 

The current proposal is that workers must have at least one dose of the vaccine by no later than October 29 and a second dose by no later than December 1.  

“As restrictions are eased, we expect there will be increased cases of COVID-19 in our community, which will likely mean more people in hospital and unfortunately, potentially more people in the intensive care unit,” Ms Stephen-Smith said. 

“We know that health care settings in other jurisdictions have been particularly vulnerable to outbreaks. Health care workers have higher rates of potential exposure to COVID-19 as they provide care to COVID-19 patients and to those who may have covid and be anywhere of it but present to healthcare settings for other reasons. 

“Vaccinating healthcare workers is the most effective way to protect them against the virus, while also reducing the transmission to patients, other staff and the wider community.” 

In the coming months and weeks, Ms Stephen-Smith said the government will consider a further phased approach to other healthcare settings in line with the recommendations from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.