Vaccine preventable disease screening for contractors, students and volunteers

Directive number: QH-HSD-047:2016

Effective date: 5 October 2022

Review date: 5 October 2025

Supersedes: Version 2

On this page:

Purpose

The purpose of this health service directive is to specify the mandatory vaccine preventable disease screening requirements for contractors, students and volunteers.

Scope

This directive applies to all hospital and health services.

Principles

  • Patient and staff safety: workers who are protected against vaccine preventable diseases reduce the risk of acquisition or transmission of vaccine preventable diseases thus reducing the risk of preventable harm.
  • Consistency: aligning with the recommendations in The Australian immunisation handbook as updated from time to time.
  • Due care and diligence: ensuring the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) and Public Health Act 2005 (Qld) are met.

Outcomes

Hospital and health services included in the scope of this directive shall achieve the following outcomes:

  • a consistent approach to vaccine preventable disease screening for contractors, students and volunteers across hospital and health services.

Mandatory requirements

  • Hospital and health services must comply with the requirements set out in the health service directive protocol: Vaccine preventable disease screening for contractors students and volunteers as in force from time to time.

Supporting documents

For vaccine preventable disease screening and reporting requirements for Queensland Health employees and non-employees engaged by the Department of Health refer to:

Business area contact

  • Communicable Diseases Branch
  • (07) 3328 9728

Review

This health service directive will be reviewed at least every three years.

Date of last review: 1 September 2022

Supersedes: Version 2

Approval and implementation

Directive Custodian

Dr Alun Richards

Acting Executive Director, Communicable Diseases Branch

Approval by Chief Executive

Shaun Drummond

Acting Director-General, Queensland Health

Approval date: 5 October 2022

Issued under section 47 of the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 (Qld).

Definitions of terms used in this directive

Term Definition / explanation / detailsSource
Contractor

Contractor means a person engaged to perform services (clinical or non-clinical) within Hospital and Health Services as an independent Contractor, including:

  • contractors and consultants
  • locum workers
  • visiting medical practitioners
  • authorised practitioners of a contracted VMO, and
  • workers engaged under an arrangement with an employment agency or workforce labour company, but does not include a person who is engaged as a health service employee under the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 (Qld).

For the avoidance of doubt, this Health Service Directive will apply to any new Contractors and any Contractor who is currently employed or engaged to perform services within Hospital and Health Services and whose contract is to be renewed.

 
Student

Any person who is a student at a school, university, TAFE, or other secondary or tertiary education provider undertaking work experience or placement within Hospital and Health Services.

 
Vaccine preventable disease screening

An assessment process to ascertain if an individual has been vaccinated for the required vaccine preventable disease(s). This must include:

  • confirming a history of vaccination, OR
  • serological test results.

Both are not necessarily required. This may vary depending on individual immune response or on individual circumstances and/or medical advice.

 
Volunteer An individual who supports Hospital and Health Services either through direct contact with patients or other activities without financial gain or reward.  
VPDs Vaccine preventable diseases.

For further information, please see The Australian immunisation handbook as updated from time to time.

 

Version control

VersionDate Prepared byComments
1.0 01/07/2016 CDIM New Document
2.0 01/09/2019 CDIM Review version. Updated related legislation and related documents. New definition added.
3.0 01/09/2022 CDB Review version. New template. Updated related legislation and related documents.

Last updated: 15 July 2024