Public Health Amendment (Vaccination of Children Attending Child Care Facilities) Bill 2013 introduced in NSW

The NSW Health Minister has introduced the controversial Public Health Amendment (Vaccination of Children Attending Child Care Facilities) Bill 2013 into the Legislative Council.

The Bill aims to support and protect public health and reduce the number and severity of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in New South Wales.

If the Bill passes, the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) will be amended to oblige child care centres to exclude children if they do not provide appropriate of vaccination documentation or an approved exemption form.

Contrary to popular belief, the amendments will not mean that children with a medical condition who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons are excluded from childcare. Additionally, parents who choose not to vaccinate due to conscientious objection will be able to enrol their children after obtaining an exemption form from a medical practitioner stating they have received advice about the risks and benefits of vaccination.

As indicated by the NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner, the significance of this Bill is that not only will parents be reminded of the need to vaccinate their children, but it will oblige well-meaning but ill-informed parents who may have been swayed by sometimes misleading misinformation on the internet to speak to an actual medical practitioner about the risks and benefits associated with vaccination.

The changes will also give childcare providers a legal right to refuse entry to children whose immunisation schedule is non-existent or not up to date, a move widely applauded by child care centres.

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