The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has recommended mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for certain disability workers, noting this provides an important protection for people with disability.
All state and territory governments have issued public health orders or directions relating to COVID-19 vaccination requirements for disability workers.
Under the NDIS Code of Conduct, NDIS providers and workers must provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill. Complying with mandatory worker vaccination requirements, as well as assisting participants to access COVID-19 vaccination, is an important consideration in meeting obligations under the Code and keeping participants safe.
In addition, registered NDIS providers are required as a condition of registration to comply with applicable Commonwealth, state and territory laws, including public health orders or directions in the states or territories in which they operate.
All providers are encouraged to engage with workers on their vaccination status and their plans for vaccination. We issued an alert to providers about workforce vaccination on 12 November 2021.
Information for disability workers about COVID-19 vaccines is available on the Department of Health website.
Reporting of vaccination status
Registered NDIS providers who provide intensive disability support services are now required to report on the vaccination status of their workers as at certain dates during the period 10 December 2021 to 22 September 2022. The information required is about those workers who are required to be fully vaccinated to deliver NDIS supports or services in accordance with state and territory public health orders.
This requirement is under a condition of registration that allows the NDIS Commissioner to request registered NDIS providers to provide specified information.
The information has been requested to assist the NDIS Commission to:
- monitor registered NDIS provider compliance with conditions of registration under section 73F(2)(a) of the NDIS Act, being compliance with public health orders, and
- manage the risks to NDIS participants arising from unvaccinated workers.
A quick reference guide is available to assist providers in submitting the required information on worker COVID-19 vaccination status through the NDIS Commission portal.
A fact sheet that provides a summary of the COVID-19 vaccination requirements applying to workers delivering NDIS-funded supports or services is also available.
The table below reflects data reported to the NDIS Commission by registered NDIS providers and should be considered indicative and subject to change.
NDIS workforce vaccination status
Current as of 04 August 2022
The NDIS Commission has established a requirement for NDIS providers registered to provide intensive disability support services to report on the vaccine status of workers they employ, or otherwise engage, to deliver NDIS-funded supports and services, and who are required to be vaccinated in accordance with in force state and territory public health orders. The below statistics reflect data reported to the Commission by NDIS providers and should be considered indicative and subject to change.
|
Provider State |
Providers who have reported worker vaccination totals |
Required to be Vaccinated |
Total reported that are fully vaccinated(1)(2) |
Reported percentage that are fully vaccinated |
Part Vaccinated |
Reported percentage that are part vaccinated(3) |
|
Totals |
7540 |
424386 |
405409 |
95.52% |
11683 |
2.75% |
|
ACT |
143 |
12355 |
12300 |
99.5% |
25 |
0.20% |
|
NSW |
2704 |
130835 |
124081 |
94.8% |
4669 |
3.57% |
|
NT |
119 |
3987 |
3824 |
95.9% |
148 |
3.7% |
|
QLD |
1551 |
73026 |
70663 |
96.8% |
835 |
1.1% |
|
SA |
486 |
36242 |
34316 |
94.6% |
1452 |
4.0% |
|
TAS |
197 |
12698 |
12182 |
95.9% |
328 |
2.58% |
|
VIC |
1849 |
120381 |
114938 |
95.4% |
2840 |
2.6% |
|
WA |
491 |
34862 |
33105 |
95.0% |
1386 |
3.98% |
Note:
- ‘Fully vaccinated’ means in accordance with requirements under state and territory public health orders, some of which now require a third (booster) dose, once eligible, to be fully vaccinated.
- Some registered NDIS providers are yet to report on the vaccination status of their workforce. The NDIS Commission
is working with those providers around reporting requirements. -
Remaining workers not included include those exempt from vaccination requirements, workers whose vaccination
status is not yet verified by the provider (such as workers on leave) and provider reporting anomalies.