Working with Children Checks and other Checks Policy Directive (PD2019_003)

• Australian police checks must be obtained from an Australian State or Territory Police Force, the Australian Federal Police, or an Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) accredited body only.
• National criminal record checks are valid for five years since the date of issue.
• National police check frequently asked questions

Students who change their name do not need to obtain a new Police Check in their new name if they can provide a Marriage Certificate or Change of Name Certificate.

NSW Health staff members do not need to provide a Police Check.  They can contact HETI Student Placements to enter their NSW Health police check information into ClinConnect.

Students with a charge or conviction listed on their Australian or Overseas Police Check or Stat Dec must apply for a risk assessment.

• Risk assessment application (pdf electronic version)

• Overseas students are required to provide a National Police Check from their home country or any country they have resided in for more than 6 months since turning 18 years of age.  If they cannot provide this police check, they can sign the Overseas Student Statutory Declaration.

NSW Health Code of Conduct (PD2015_049)

• Students must read and agree to abide by the NSW Health Code of Conduct.
• Sign the Code of Conduct Declaration form.
• Code of Conduct Declaration (electronic version)

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases (PD2023_022)

• Students undertaking clinical placements must undertake vaccinations as per policy and complete the Undertaking/Declaration Form and Tuberculosis Assessment Form. The Hepatitis B Undertaking Form is only required if the Hepatitis B vaccination record is not available.
• Undertaking/Declaration Form
• Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool
• Hepatitis B Undertaking Form
• NSW Health Vaccination Record Card (pdf)

Frequently Asked Questions - Occupational Assessment Screening and Vaccination

Vaccination evidence must be in the form of:

• a written record of vaccination signed, dated and stamped by a medical practitioner/nurse immuniser or pharmacist vaccinator (for authorised vaccines only) on the NSW Health Vaccination Record Card for Category A Workers and Students
• serological confirmation of protection
• an Australian Immunisation History Statement
• an Australian COVID-19 Digital Certificate (COVID evidence only).

Please note: If the Immunisation History Statement or Digital Certificate has an Individual Health Identifier (IHI) listed on it, please remove this before sending in for assessment. Central Coast Local Health District have developed a YouTube video to assist with removing an IHI.

Annual influenza vaccination is mandatory for all clinical students (at their own cost) if attending a placement between 1 June and 30 September each year. Students must receive the current southern hemisphere influenza vaccine registered for use by the TGA.

Students attending clinical placements are required to have 2 doses of a TGA approved or recognised COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID Contraindication

All students who are unable to receive 2 doses of a TGA approved or recognised COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical contraindication to all the available TGA approved COVID-19 vaccines, are required to provide evidence of their circumstances in the form of the Medical Contraindication Form (to be accessed from your GP or other registered health provider) for review and approval.

Students who have been infected with COVID-19 may delay receiving a COVID-19 vaccination for up to 6 months following infection. Compliance status will be granted for up to 6 months if the student provides evidence as follows:

• For dose 1 of a COVID-19 vaccine - evidence must be on a Medical Contraindication Form
• For dose 2 of a COVID-19 vaccine - evidence can be in the form of a positive PCR test or registration of a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) 6 months temporary compliance will be granted from the positive result. If the student wishes to defer dose 2 for a period longer than 6 months, then a Medical Contraindication Form will be required.

Please note: students with a contraindication to COVID-19 are likely to undergo a risk assessment to ensure safety. This could include reassignment to a lower COVID-19 risk area.

Management of health care workers with a blood borne virus and those doing exposure prone procedures (PD2019_026)

• Students in the disciplines of Medicine, Midwifery, Dentistry & Oral Health and Paramedicine are required to be screened for Blood Borne Viruses every three years.  Students are required to then sign the declaration and present it to NSW Health as part of the verification process.
• This requirement only applies to students commencing a course in one of these disciplines from 24/06/2019.
• Student declaration

• Students attending placements in Commonwealth subsidised aged care facilities may be required to sign the Aged Care Statutory Declaration.

• Students attending placements with National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) service providers, may be subject to further requirements including having to have a police check every 4 years.