Question – COVID-19 – Moreton Group Medical Services Vaccinations Program

Questions asked by the Hon Meg Webb MLC on 19 July 2021 and answered by the Hon Jeremy Rockliff MP Minister for Health on 24 August 2021.   

QUESTION (1):      What measures has the State Government put in place to identify and inform any Tasmanians experiencing homelessness who do not access Specialist Homelessness Services, including youth aged 16 and above, about the Moreton Group Medical Services COVID-19 vaccinations program?

ANSWER (1)     The state government has partnered with Moreton Group Medical Services to deliver vaccinations at common gathering points for those experiencing homelessness.  This includes those sleeping rough, at risk of homelessness and in long and short-term emergency accommodation.  Tasmanians experiencing homelessness who do not access specialist homelessness services are being targeted by clinics on the streets, visits to caravan parks and a collaboration with the Department of Communities for all brokered accommodation. 

These street homeless populations are being appropriately engaged by collaboration with the Salvation Army ‘Street to Home’ program in the south, and the Doorways emergency relief programs in the north and north-west.

QUESTION (2):    Do Tasmanian youth over the age of 16 years who are experiencing homelessness require a caregiver to provide consent before being allowed to receive COVID-19 vaccinations?

ANSWER (2):     Tasmanian youth are able to give consent if they are deemed a ‘mature minor’, also known as having ‘Gillick competence’.  Immunisers can use their clinical judgment to determine if a young person is able to consent.  This involves the young person having sufficient understanding of what the vaccine is for, the benefits of the vaccine, the risks of the vaccine, including consequences if they do not receive the vaccine.

QUESTION (3):     What measures are in place to facilitate the likelihood of people experiencing homelessness returning for their second vaccination dose?

ANSWER (3)     Due to the itinerant nature of this cohort, it is difficult to guarantee all people who receive a first dose will return for the second.  Moreton Group has processes in place to track who does and does not receive a second dose.  They utilise repeated site visits and work with facility staff to identify and opportunistically target people needing second doses at times they are in the facility. 

Vaccination cards are provided to people at first dose which has the date of first dose, when a second dose is due and the Public Health hotline number on it.  It is accepted that in this population there will be some loss to follow up, and that one dose will provide some level of protection, even though two doses provides the best protection.

QUESTION (4):     How long is this program to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to Tasmanians experiencing homelessness expected to run?

ANSWER (4):  The Moreton Group Medical Services have been contracted for 15 weeks.