❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the implementation of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers, particularly in regional areas, and the support provided to facilitate vaccination. The response clarifies access to vaccinations and exemptions, and provides data on vaccination and testing clinic locations.
AnsweredQoN 286Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the State Government's policy for mandatory vaccinations for all health care workers, commencing from 1 October 2021, and question without notice 536, asked on 18 August 2021, and the response by the Minister to Part 3, stating "Healthcare workers across WA have been provided access to COVID-19 vaccinations through their workplaces and can walk into any state-run clinic at any time and be vaccinated," and I ask: (a) is it correct that healthcare workers are able to present at state-run
vaccination clinics without a booking and receive a vaccination against
COVID-19; (b) is the State Government considering any exemptions for regional health
care workers unable to access COVID-19 vaccinations prior to the
deadline for mandatory vaccinations; (c) please provide a breakdown by WA Country Health Service region of the following: (i) the number of and locations of any state-run COVID-19 vaccination clinics; (ii) the number of and locations of State-run COVID-19 testing clinics; (iii) the number of, and locations of, any tier one health care facilities which
health care staff and health support workers will require a full
COVID-19 vaccination to enter from 1 November 2021; (iv) the number of, and locations of, any tier two health care facilities which
health care staff and health support workers will require a full
COVID-19 vaccination to enter from 1 December 2021; and (v) the number of, and locations of, any tier three health care facilities
health care staff and health support workers will require a full
COVID-19 vaccination to enter from 1 January 2022; and (d) noting the Commonwealth Government's Residential Aged Care COVID-19
Employee Vaccination Support Grant, which provides an $80 payment for
casual aged care staff required to go off-site to receive a vaccination;
paid leave of up to $185 for casual staff who become unwell after a
vaccination; and grants of up to $500 to facilitate off-site vaccination
for employees to cover transport costs and other reasonable expenses
when getting vaccinated, will the State Government implement any similar
measures to encourage vaccination and, if so, please provide detail?
vaccination clinics without a booking and receive a vaccination against
COVID-19; (b) is the State Government considering any exemptions for regional health
care workers unable to access COVID-19 vaccinations prior to the
deadline for mandatory vaccinations; (c) please provide a breakdown by WA Country Health Service region of the following: (i) the number of and locations of any state-run COVID-19 vaccination clinics; (ii) the number of and locations of State-run COVID-19 testing clinics; (iii) the number of, and locations of, any tier one health care facilities which
health care staff and health support workers will require a full
COVID-19 vaccination to enter from 1 November 2021; (iv) the number of, and locations of, any tier two health care facilities which
health care staff and health support workers will require a full
COVID-19 vaccination to enter from 1 December 2021; and (v) the number of, and locations of, any tier three health care facilities
health care staff and health support workers will require a full
COVID-19 vaccination to enter from 1 January 2022; and (d) noting the Commonwealth Government's Residential Aged Care COVID-19
Employee Vaccination Support Grant, which provides an $80 payment for
casual aged care staff required to go off-site to receive a vaccination;
paid leave of up to $185 for casual staff who become unwell after a
vaccination; and grants of up to $500 to facilitate off-site vaccination
for employees to cover transport costs and other reasonable expenses
when getting vaccinated, will the State Government implement any similar
measures to encourage vaccination and, if so, please provide detail?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
28 October 2021
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Health
Response time
16 days
I am advised:
(a) Yes.
(b) Temporary exemptions will be considered in the case of any health worker who is unable to access vaccination.
(c) (i) There are 54 separate locations for WA Country Health Service (WACHS) COVID vaccine clinics scheduled for the next four weeks. This includes 47 regularly scheduled clinics and 18 whole of community mass vaccination clinics planned in October 2021. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (ii) There are 3 regional state-run COVID-19 testing clinics and 66 regional hospitals where testing is available. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (iii) In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination clinics listed above there are a total of 33 designated Tier 1 locations across 17 separate WACHS sites. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (iv) WACHS has a current list of 138 locations identified as Tier 2. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (v) WACHS has a current identified list of 29 Tier 3 sites. Please see tabled paper no.
(d) Any health worker in Western Australia can attend any of the 100 State-run COVID-19 vaccination clinic at any time to be vaccinated as a priority ‘walk-in’. This includes non-frontline staff. Some agencies may be supportive of their employees being vaccinated during work hours, and this is encouraged where possible, in line with the operational needs of the workplace.
(a) Yes.
(b) Temporary exemptions will be considered in the case of any health worker who is unable to access vaccination.
(c) (i) There are 54 separate locations for WA Country Health Service (WACHS) COVID vaccine clinics scheduled for the next four weeks. This includes 47 regularly scheduled clinics and 18 whole of community mass vaccination clinics planned in October 2021. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (ii) There are 3 regional state-run COVID-19 testing clinics and 66 regional hospitals where testing is available. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (iii) In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination clinics listed above there are a total of 33 designated Tier 1 locations across 17 separate WACHS sites. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (iv) WACHS has a current list of 138 locations identified as Tier 2. Please see tabled paper no.
(c) (v) WACHS has a current identified list of 29 Tier 3 sites. Please see tabled paper no.
(d) Any health worker in Western Australia can attend any of the 100 State-run COVID-19 vaccination clinic at any time to be vaccinated as a priority ‘walk-in’. This includes non-frontline staff. Some agencies may be supportive of their employees being vaccinated during work hours, and this is encouraged where possible, in line with the operational needs of the workplace.
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