Important update about COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Queensland Health (QH) has proposed removing the requirement for employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This follows a decision by the Chief Health Officer (CHO), following ATAGI advice. 
  
The QNMU has always followed the most up-to-date health advice and accepted public health measures. The current advice from the CHO, including allowing unvaccinated health care workers to the workforce, reflects the fact that we have now moved from a pandemic to endemic phase, where risk of transmission is significantly lower thanks to high vaccination rates and herd immunity.
  
QNMU Executive Council – which is our union’s democratically elected decision-making body – has endorsed formal feedback to QH about its proposal. Our proposal outlines numerous concerns that we are calling on QH to address to our satisfaction prior to the vaccine mandate being removed, including that:

• QH provides recognition and acknowledgement of psychological and other distress experienced by health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Appropriate risk assessments for psychosocial hazards are undertaken at each HHS, with identified hazards to be acted upon to ensure compliance with Code of Practice for psychosocial hazards.
• HHSs provide, on commencement and annually, appropriate fit testing and training on donning and doffing PPE – and ensure availability and access to PPE.
• There is an ongoing education and awareness campaign for health workers on the advantages of vaccinations generally.
• Serious consideration is given to implementing vaccination incentives for health workers to encourage uptake of all recommended vaccinations.

The QNMU’s focus is on your health and safety

  
The QNMU’s focus has and always will be on members’ safety and wellbeing – and the risks and stress faced by frontline workers during the pandemic cannot be understated. During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline nurses and midwives experienced incredible hardships, including spending time away from their families and loved ones and working very long hours in often extremely challenging circumstances. 
  
It is thanks to nurses, midwives and other health workers who worked on the frontline throughout the biggest health crisis we have ever seen that Queensland avoided the worst-case scenario, which played out in many parts of the world.
  
In short, your work saved lives.
  
We understand there will likely be mixed feelings regarding the potential removal of the vaccine mandate, given the extreme conditions experienced by those on the frontline during the pandemic.
  
However, it is important to note that nothing has changed yet. We are currently in a consultation phase with QH to ensure that, if QH proceeds with removing the vaccine mandate, it is done in a proper, considered way that prioritises every health workers’ health and safety – including your psychological and physical safety.
  

What happens now?

  
QH has received over 900 individual pieces of feedback, including the QNMU’s submission. QH is required to consider this feedback in a meaningful way, which will take time.
  
The QNMU is seeking that QH comply with relevant work health and safety regulation and the Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice in full prior to any change taking place. In particular, we have highlighted key areas the Code sets out as being potential psychosocial hazards, including exposure to trauma, poor workplace relations, interpersonal conflict and poor change management.
  
There is a right way to do this, and it cannot happen overnight. The QNMU will continue to engage constructively with QH to ensure the right processes are followed and our above concerns are addressed.
  
We will have more to say on this matter once the consultation phase has ended and more information is available.