Aged care staff who have refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19 have been forced out of their jobs, as regional facilities struggle to cope in the already overstretched industry.
National Cabinet at the end of June agreed that the vulnerable workplace setting would be required to introduce vaccination mandates requiring all staff to get the jab by September 17.
The vast majority - some 60 per cent - of Australia's coronavirus deaths have been in care homes.
With the deadline date now passed those who refused to roll up their sleeves find themselves out of a job, as aged care bosses scramble to replace workers who in many cases have decades of experience.
Anti-vaxxer aged care staff who have refused to get immunised against Covid-19 have been forced out of their jobs as regional facilities struggle to cope in the already overstretched industry (pictured, aged care staff at a different facility in Sydney)
National Cabinet at the end of June agreed that the vulnerable workplace setting would be required to introduce vaccination mandates requiring all staff to get the jab by September 17 (pictured, aged care staff at a different facility in Melbourne)
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Southern Cross Care Broken Hill chief executive Zoe Tonkin said the industry has prepared for the changes as best as they could, but it's bound to have a 'significant impact'.
'It's like losing part of your family... Everybody feels it, the residents and the staff all feel it and of course that poor person that's worked in a job, some for many, many years now, having to start a new chapter of their life sort of forcibly,' she told the ABC.
'Anyone that works in aged care does it because they're passionate about it, and it's a special person that works in our industry,' she said.
'To lose anyone with a situation like this, I think, is really sad, it's quite heartbreaking really.'
Those who refused to roll up their sleeves now find themselves out of a job, as aged care bosses scramble to replace workers who in many cases have decades of experience
Southern Cross Care lost four employees from three locations in Broken Hill (one pictured) this week
In the past few days Southern Cross Care has lost four employees from three locations in Broken Hill and a further two staff at
