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RACGP releases position statement on mandatory vaccination
The college has come out in support of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers, including GPs.
The RACGP has said that all healthcare team members undertaking patient facing roles be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they are medically exempt. (Image: AAP)
The position statement highlights the potential benefits of widespread vaccination among healthcare workers, and proposes that GPs, practice nurses, reception staff and other team members undertaking patient-facing roles all be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
It also strongly encourages vaccination more broadly for non-patient-facing staff in all healthcare services.
New South Wales and Western Australia have already made healthcare worker vaccination mandatory (excluding general practice), and all aged care staff are required to have had at least one dose by Friday 17 September.
Meanwhile, the Herald Sun is reporting Victoria will soon introduce mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all healthcare workers – including GPs – and that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) is preparing advice for this week’s National Cabinet meeting aimed at achieving a nationwide consensus on mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers.
The RACGP believes all healthcare workers should be vaccinated for their own protection, as well as for the protection of patients and the broader healthcare system.
‘The healthcare system will inevitably be challenged as restrictions ease, even with high vaccination numbers,’ it states.
‘Vaccination against COVID-19 of all healthcare workers will go some way to readying the system and sustaining the workforce now and into the future.
‘Immunisation is a safe and effective way to prevent serious disease and GPs and their teams have a key role in vaccine delivery and acceptance in the community.
‘Healthcare workers, by nature of their work and interaction with the community, are at greater risk of exposure to, and contraction of, COVID-19. Across Australia, thousands of healthcare workers and support staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19, of which a majority of cases were likely acquired in the workplace.’
Other potential benefits listed in the statement include reduced transmission of COVID-19 from healthcare workers to patients and other team members, and reducing disruption to services when healthcare workers are infected with COVID-19.
It also points out that mandatory vaccination has been implemented in various countries, and that GPs and other registered health practitioners have a responsibility to ‘promote the health of communities and meet obligations with respect to disease prevention, including vaccination, health screening and the reporting of notifiable diseases’.
However, while the college is in favour of mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers, it states that anyone who has any condition which contraindicates vaccination ‘should be exempt’.
‘Where a healthcare worker is medically exempt from mandatory vaccination the worker should be supported to maintain their own health and safety and the safety of patients,’ it states.
‘Supportive actions will need to be taken on a case-by-case basis noting the current community transmission of COVID-19 in their area, access to personal protective equipment and the person’s ability to transition to different modes of practice such as consulting via telehealth or non-patient facing work.’
Eligible medical practitioners, including GPs, can record an individual’s exemption by completing the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) immunisation medical exemption form.
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