Covid-19 Toowoomba: Darling Downs Health staff to be stood down over vaccine mandate
As Covid-19 tears through Toowoomba for the first time in months, our most critical frontline workers are facing termination for refusing to be vaccinated.
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More than 100 healthcare workers for Darling Downs Health could face termination if they don’t receive the Covid-19 vaccination in the coming weeks.
But this figure has dropped significantly since November, where more than 130 staff were faced with the prospect of losing their jobs over the vaccine mandate.
In the workforce of more than 6000 hospital and health care workers, 102 have yet to provide proof of their Covid-19 vaccination.
Out of the 6627 employees with the Darling Downs Health service, 233 staff have no vaccination record, and 132 are on leave as of Tuesday, December 21.
That leaves 102 people that have no vaccination record, are not on leave currently, but are in scope of the vaccine directive for all healthcare staff.
Darling Downs Health workers have submitted 138 requests for exemptions, but only 15 have been approved.
A Queensland Health spokesman said exemption requests were not “simple or straight forward”, and staff who were not vaccinated but had applied for an exemption would not be allowed in the workplace.
“A range of evidence and consultation is required depending on the nature of the exemption,” the spokesman said.
“For example, clinical consultation is sought for people seeking an exemption for medical reasons.
“Additionally, each exemption application is required to be considered on an individual basis.
“The team is working incredibly hard to process exemption requests as quickly as possible.
“While this is being worked through, these staff will not be in the workplace.”
The spokesman said Queensland Health were continuing to find alternative arrangements for those who had received or applied for an exemption.
The arrangements include taking leave, working remotely or being moved into a temporary role where the vaccination is not mandated.
Regional counterparts, the South West Hospital and Health Service, currently employ 1041 staff.
23 of those were in scope of the directive, but unable t provide proof of vaccination and not on leave.
Only one exemption has been granted.
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