Special medical border passes approved

Patients in NSW who have been locked out of Queensland for medical appointments can now apply for passes.

Pedestrian foot traffic is stopped and checked for border passes as Queensland steps up its tightened security with Covid restrictions. PHOTO: Scott Powick

PATIENTS in NSW who have been locked out of Queensland for medical appointments can now apply for passes to enter the Sunshine State.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest confirmed this morning specialist medical patients, when crossing into Queensland by road, will be able to present a new declaration pass available online later today along with documentation from their health service to cross the checkpoint.

Those allowed to travel are categorised by:

1. For a Queensland children's hospital appointment confirmed in writing by the hospital

2. For a specialists out-patients appointment at a Queensland hospital and health service confirmed in writing by the service

3. For a specialist appointment at a licenced Queensland private health facility confirmed in writing by the service

4. For a specialist appointment confirmed in writing by the service along with a written referral by a GP

5. For other appointments at a Queensland hospital and health service accompanied by a form signed by the Queensland Health chief executive that a patient requires specialist health care in Queensland.

Some will still be required to quarantine:

● Outpatients will have to quarantine at government-arranged accommodation at their own expense the treatment is for more than one day

● For a day treatment or appointment the person must leave Queensland immediately following the treatment or appointment

● For an inpatient at the hospital receiving treatment, the inpatient support person accompanying them will also need to quarantine by stay at government-arranged accommodation at their own expense. Or they can drop off and pick up the patient without stopping in Queensland.

● Children receiving treatment at the children's hospital and their families can quarantine with their child at the hospital.

MORE PASSES TO COME FOR MEDICAL STAFF:

MEMBER for Tweed Geoff Provest said it was expected by the end of today, NSW medical employees locked out of their Queensland workplaces would also be able to access their own specialist border declaration pass.

It is understood, many of the Gold Coast and Queensland large hospitals and health services were applying for the exemption passes for their staff in bulk.

However, Mr Provest confirmed this morning it is expected employees will be able to access the passes for themselves online sometime today.

While the Queensland Premier is remaining tight-lipped about a rumoured 'hard' border closure with tighter restrictions looming this weekend, concrete barriers have begun to replace plastic ones in the border crossings areas.

Mr Provest said the NSW Premier was at the national cabinet today and there had been no mention by Queensland of any further restrictions as of yet.

"Queensland's Senior Chief Medical Officer Janette Young did indicate if infection rates in NSW continued to climb harsher measures could be put in place. At the moment NSW has 20 cases and there are none in the Tweed," he said.

"We have confirmed the border closures would be catastrophic here in the Tweed.

"Not just the obvious but everything from schools -we have a number of our teachers who live in Queensland - to work. My office has hundreds of inquiries every day."

Mr Provest said he hoped common sense prevailed. "My major concern is that we are all Australians, this is not what we are all about.

If we start denying health care and basic services to our vulnerable and elderly... this is not what the ANZACs died for on that beach," he said.  

Originally published as Special medical border passes approved