Almost 400 unvaccinated healthcare and hospital workers stood down across SA

A disturbing number of healthcare staff across the state have refused to be vaccinated, with many stood down. But the Health Minister says that’s just 1 per cent of the total workforce.

Almost 400 hospital workers have been stood down after they refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19 – the most based at the Women’s and Children’s, figures show.

After days of refusing to publish the data, SA Health on Tuesday night revealed 263 Adelaide-based unvaccinated workers and 128 regional staff are unvaccinated.

Almost half of the city-based staff, or 125 workers, are in the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, followed by 107 across the zone covering the Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth hospitals as well as the James Nash House mental health facility.

At least 24 workers in the Southern network, which covers the Flinders Medical Centre, have been stood down, compared with seven in the north suburbs, which includes the Lyell McEwin Hospital.

The most unvaccinated country staff work in Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network at 53, followed by 39 Riverland workers.

No South-East-based workers have refused a jab.

New legal directions come into force on Wednesday that compel most SA Health staff to have had at least one Covid vaccination.

Federal vaccination rules – signed off by state and territory leaders at national Cabinet earlier this month – compel anyone in public health settings to be inoculated.

The cut-off deadline sparked protests on Tuesday in the Adelaide CBD.

The decision to not receive a first dose before the November 1 deadline has triggered fears of increased pressure on South Australia’s besieged health system.

People head into the Wayville vaccination hub for a jab. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

WCHN chief executive Lindsey Gough had earlier said no doctors were among 133 unjabbed workers who had not met Monday’s deadline when it became law for most health workers to have one dose.

“Because the people who aren’t vaccinated are spread so widely across the network it’s not causing a particular problem,” she said.

Despite the edict being known for weeks, Health Minister Stephen Wade could not provide specific staff numbers earlier on Tuesday. “I’m advised that none of our local health networks are experiencing any issues,” he said.

SA Health reported a late surge before the deadline. Staff at a second tranche of healthcare facilities – including dental clinics, private nurse offices, pharmacies, pathology centres and Defence health – must have one dose by this Monday but chiropractors and osteopaths are exempt.

Labor’s health spokesman, Chris Picton said the government had “more than 20 months” to prepare.

“Now, on the brink of Covid entering SA, our hospitals are chronically overcrowded and facing the loss of hundreds more staff,” he said.

But Mr Wade said on Wednesday it was “important to keep in perspective” the number of healthcare staff who had been stood down after they refused to be vaccinated.

“There are 391 staff who indicated they’re not going to be vaccinated. That’s out of a workforce of 46,000 – that’s less than one per cent of our workforce (including non-clinical roles), he told morning radio.

“Anecdotally, I’ve heard there’s a high level of non-compliance amongst staff in non-clinical roles.”

Mr Wade said the cohort of staff that had been sidelined was having no impact on clinical services.

“This mandate has been months coming ... people knew it was coming, staff had plenty of notice, management had plenty of time to prepare,” he said.

The state’s transition committee on Tuesday ruled out any restriction changes.

Police Commissioner and state co-ordinator Grant Stevens said modelling would dictate what is eased and when, but “it may be the case that not everything waits until the 90 per cent” double dose vaccination target.

Warning of outbreaks when Delta arrives, he said modelling would dictate what measures would be eased and when, but “it may be the case that not everything waits until the 90 per cent mark”.

“We may be able to make some changes along the way but it will be subject to what the modelling tells us how we’re performing in terms of community transmission in South Australia, what the impact is on the health system and obviously the community sentiment as well,” he said.

“There are differing views about whether we open up or remain closed but this is the step we have to take.

“We’re expecting Covid-19, we’re ready for it, we have to manage it comes in, the hope is we can do that within the capacity of the health system so no one is seriously affected.”

Authorities are reviewing mandatory laws after chiropractors and osteopaths were not forced to get a jab.

The details emerged after The Advertiser reported mandatory vaccinations for teachers was on the cards.

And retail giant Costco on Tuesday said it would mandate double vaccinations for all workers by December 31.

The transition committee on Tuesday ruled out any direction changes, a week after it signed off the state’s road map out of restrictions.

Originally published as Almost 400 unvaccinated healthcare and hospital workers stood down across SA