Key Policy Requirements
Risk Category
The following categorisation of staff is to be used to assess requirements under the Policy.
Work activities, rather than job title, must be considered on an individual basis when
determining categorisation.
Category A: Contact with clients or contact with blood, body substances or infectious material.
Category B: No contact with clients or blood or body substances.
Most staff and all "other clinical personnel", including all healthcare and work experience students, are classified as Category A.
Category A |
Contact with clients or contact with blood, body
substances or infectious material. |
Category B |
No contact with clients or
blood or body substances. |
Risk Category Protection/Screening Required
The following table indicates whether protection or screening is required or recommended.
Key to requirements
Y = Protection/screening required
N = Protection/screening not routinely required
R = Vaccines recommended for the general population
Protection/TB Screening Required by Risk Category
---------------------------------------
| Infectious Disease |
A | B |
| Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis |
Y | R |
| Hepatitis B |
Y | N |
| Measles, Mumps, Rubella |
Y | R |
| Tuberculosis |
Y | N |
| Varicella |
Y | R |
| Influenza |
R(annual) | R(annual) |
| Protection/TB Screening Required by Risk Category |
Key to requirements |
||
| Risk Categories | |||
| Infectious Disease |
A | B | |
| Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis |
Y | R | |
| Hepatitis B |
Y | N | |
| Measles, Mumps, Rubella |
Y | R | |
| Tuberculosis |
Y | N | |
| Varicella |
Y | R | |
| Influenza |
R(annual) | R(annual) | |
Acceptable Evidence of Protection
All Category A healthcare workers are required to be able to provide evidence of protection according to the following table. Acceptable evidence of protection includes a written record of vaccination signed by the provider and/or serological confirmation of protection. This does not include a statutory declaration.
Infectious Disease |
Acceptable evidence to Demonstrate Protection |
Infectious Disease---------------------------------------Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis--------------------------------- |
Acceptable Evidence to Demonstrate Protection---------------------------------------One documented dose of adult dTpa vaccine.--------------------------------- |
Hepatitis B
--------------------------------- |
Documented evidence of a completed,
age appropriate, course of hepatitis B vaccine
and documented evidence of anti-HBs ≥ 10mIU/mL; or documented evidence of
past hepatitis B infection (anti-HBc).
--------------------------------- |
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
--------------------------------- |
Birth date before 1966; or documented
evidence of 2 doses of MMR vaccine at least one month apart; or documented evidence
of positive IgG for measles, mumps and rubella.
--------------------------------- |
Varicella
--------------------------------- |
History of chickenpox; or documentation of
physician-diagnosed shingles; or documented evidence of a positive varicella IgG; or
documented evidence of age appropriate varicella vaccination.
--------------------------------- |
Tuberculosis
--------------------------------- |
All persons will need to have visited a local chest clinic to be screened for
TB (to exclude active TB) and establish baseline TB status. Click here for a list of NSW TB Prevention and Control Services (chest clinics). |
Evidence of protection and TB screening should be recorded on the Adult Vaccination Record Card.
Your Adult Vaccination Record Card is a passport to employment or practicum in NSW Health facilities.
Work restrictions for unprotected/unscreened staff
Staff who do not have evidence of protection will not be permitted to work with certain client groups and in certain clinical areas.
Work Restrictions for Unprotected/Unscreened staff
Staff who do not have evidence of protection will not be permitted to work with certain client groups and in certain clinical areas. To find out more click the link below:
