Whilst no directive from the WA Government has been published, the Federal Government has introduced legislation outlining the record-keeping and reporting requirements that apply both to the COVID-19 vaccine and the influenza vaccine, which are summarised below.
Care recipients
Under the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Care Recipients and Service Staff Vaccination Recording and Reporting) Principles 2021 an approved provider of a residential care service must keep records of:
a. the number of care recipients who have voluntarily informed them that they have received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; and
b. the number of care recipients who have voluntarily informed them that they have received all required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Additionally, an approved provider of a residential care service must on each reporting day give the Secretary a report that sets out:
a. the total number of care recipients to whom services are provided;
b. the number of those care recipients who have voluntarily informed them that they have received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; and
c. the number of care recipients who have voluntarily informed them that they have received all required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The reporting day is 27 July 2021, and each subsequent Tuesday. A report does not need to be provided if the number of care recipients who have received a single dose or all required doses is the same as in the last report.
The legislation also requires that on 30 June each year a residential care service must give the Secretary a report that sets out the total number of care recipients to whom services are provided, and the number of those care recipients who have voluntarily informed the provider that they have received the annual seasonal influenza vaccine for the calendar year of the reporting day.
A quarterly COVID-19 vaccine report is also required to be provided to the Secretary on 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December setting out the total number of care recipients to whom services are provided, and the number of those care recipients who have voluntarily informed the provider that they have received all required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Service staff
Similar requirements apply to service staff. Service staff means staff including volunteers who access or are reasonably likely to access, any premises where the operation or administration of the residential aged care service occurs.
Under the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Service Staff Vaccination Recording and Reporting) Principles 2021, an approved provider of a residential care service must keep records of:
a. the number of service staff who have voluntarily informed them that they have received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; and
b. the number of service staff who have voluntarily informed them that they have received all required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
An approved provider of a residential care service must on each reporting day, give the Secretary a report that sets out:
a. the total number of service staff;
b. the number of those service staff who have voluntarily informed them that they have received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; and
c. the number of those service staff who have voluntarily informed them that they have received all required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The reporting day is 15 June 2021 and each subsequent Tuesday.
Additionally, on 20 June 2022 and each subsequent 30 June, the approved provider must give a report to the Secretary outlining:
a. the total number of service staff;
b. the number of those service staff who have voluntarily informed them that they have received the annual seasonable influenza vaccine; and
c. the number of those service staff who have voluntarily informed them that they have received all required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
All reporting is done via the My Aged Care provider portal.
For more information, or to discuss how we may be able to assist your business, please contact Panetta McGrath Lawyers.
Authors: David McMullen and Morgan Barnsby.
