National Cabinet is expected to meet today to discuss mandating COVID-19 vaccination for all frontline health workers, including any non-clinical GP staff who interact with patients. 

The AMA has pushed for the change over the last two weeks and says it’s been fielding calls from GPs concerned about the refusal of some of their staff to vaccinate.

AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid said without nationally-consistent public health orders being declared, practice owners are being left on uncertain legal ground and risk being dragged through unfair dismissal claims if they insist on vaccination as a condition of employment. 

“There is widespread uncertainty as to whether other occupations and workplaces can also mandate vaccinations,” Dr Khorshid said recently.