Vaccination for Health Care Workers and Students

In order to protect yourself and your patients, NSW Health have determined that you need to be immunised against a range of specified diseases.

The NSW Health Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases policy indicates health care workers and students must be protected from the following diseases

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough) (adult dose of dTpa vaccine)
  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
  • Varicella (chickenpox)
  • Hepatitis B (Hep B)
  • Influenza – only for high risk sites

You may need to provide evidence of both the administration of a vaccine and of a positive response to the vaccine (e.g. serology report). Details can be found on the document Appendix 1:  Evidence of Protection (PDF page 34).

To obtain your vaccination record, you can download your Australian Immunisation Register History Statement from myGov Australian Immunisation Register - How to get an immunisation history statement - Services Australia.

What is the Hep B immunisation schedule?

The NSW Health policy Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases specifies the age appropriate Hepatitis B accepted schedules (page 39).

For adults over the age of 20, full course consist of 3 doses.  Minimum of 1 month interval is recommended between doses 1 and 2.  Minimum of 2 months between doses 2 and 3.  Between 4-8 weeks after the 3rd dose you need to get a serology test done to show that the vaccine worked.

After 1st dose is administered and all other verification checks are complete please email your evidence to HNLEHD team while waiting for the additional doses.  This will enable you to receive temporary verification.

What if my doctor can’t find evidence that I have received my hepatitis B vaccinations?

Only if a record of vaccination is not available and cannot be reasonably obtained, you can complete and submit Hepatitis B Vaccination Declaration. The vaccination declaration should include details on where and when the vaccination course was administered, the vaccination schedule and why a vaccination record cannot be provided. NSW Health staff will determine where this is acceptable evidence. You must be able to provide evidence of Hepatitis B serology showing immunity to complete a Hepatitis B Vaccination Declaration.

What if I am not immune?

There a number of scenarios where you may not be immune to the specified diseases, you may:

  • be a vaccine non-responder (you have had the required immunisations but serology indicates you do not have immunity)
  • be unable to receive immunisation (e.g. allergic to a vaccine, pregnant)
  • have immunosuppression

This does not mean that you will be excluded from attending placements.

You need to connect with your placement contact, and in conjunction with NSW Health, your situation will be assessed on an individual basis as risk management plans are not available for students.

What if I have only completed some of my immunisations?

Some students will need to go on placement before they have finished their full Hep B course. Where only partial vaccination has been undertaken for Hep B (you must have had at least the first dose), you may be eligible for Temporary Verification. This means that you should still submit your documents to NSW Health in order to attend placements.

All other specified diseases require full vaccination prior to clinical placement.

Temporary Verification lasts for 6 months, and you can only receive it once. This means that you need to make sure that you finish your full course before it expires. NSW Health Policy states that you need to finish the vaccination schedule and submit your evidence within 12 months of starting your degree.

What if I do not have or disagree with immunisation?

Facilities within Australia have the right to exclude anyone from their premises if they are considered to present a risk to their patients/clients. This includes any persons without proper immunity.

It is important to understand that being awarded a degree is dependent upon satisfactorily completing and passing all academic and compulsory components of the program. If you cannot complete the placement component, then you cannot graduate from your chosen degree.

If you feel strongly about not undertaking immunisation, you should consult with your Program Convenor.

Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment

You must submit your completed NSW Health Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool as part of your verification to NSW Health.

What if I have lived in a country with a high incidence of TB?

Countries considered to have a high incidence of TB can be found here:  https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/tuberculosis/Pages/high-incidence-countries.aspx If you have lived in one or more of these countries, additional testing may be required.

You need to submit the NSW Health Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool  to NSW Health and wait for their response. If it is determined that you require further screening, you will be contacted by NSW Health with instructions. Please don't book a screening yourself as you may not require it.

What if I travel to a country with a high incidence of TB?

Countries considered to have a high incidence of TB can be found here: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/tuberculosis/Pages/high-incidence-countries.aspx.

If you have travelled or resided in any of the above countries for a total of 3 months or longer since you were initially verified, then you need to submit a new NSW Health Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool. This 3 months can be spent on a single trip or be the total time spent in multiple countries or across multiple trips.

Additional testing may be required by NSW Health.