How to Complete Your NSW Health Student Compliance

Step 1: Understand Your Requirements

Before gathering documentation, review the requirements that apply to your program and placement type.

Student Compliance requirements can vary between disciplines and additional requirements may apply depending on your School or placement setting.

To confirm whether you are required to be ‘assessed’ for NSW Health Student Compliance as part of your program, view the Handbook. If so, continue with all steps below.

Step 2: Gather Your Evidence: Vaccination and Immunity Evidence

You need to show evidence of protection against certain infectious diseases. The best place to start is by downloading your Immunisation History Statement (AIR) from Medicare. You can also use a Vaccination Record Card (every entry must be dated, stamped, and signed by a doctor or a vaccination provider) or blood test (serology) results. Do not go and get vaccinations yet — wait until NSW Health tells you what you need.

NSW Health accepts a range of vaccination and immunity evidence, including:

• Recent Immunisation History Statement (AIR) available through Medicare.

• Serology reports (blood test results) - ensure your name and date of birth are clearly visible.[LG1]

• Vaccination Record Card (if applicable) in English – every entry must be dated, stamped, and signed by doctor. You will need to:

  • Print/Download a copy of the blank Vaccination Record Card.

  • Check the last page for what evidence is required. The last page of the card outlines:

    • what infectious diseases you need to be protected for
    • what evidence is required
    • instructions for how to complete the card, if you are using it as a form of evidence for assessment.

Important note: If you are including a vaccination card as a form of evidence, it MUST be completed correctly by a doctor or medical practitioner. EVERY entry MUST be signed, dated, and stamped by a medical practitioner/nurse immuniser.

Our example vaccination card can be shared with your doctor as a guide.

Important things to know

• All evidence MUST be English. Vaccination records recorded in a foreign language may be translated using the Free Translating Service website provided by the Department of Home Affairs or using a local translation service.
• NSW Health staff will assess the available documents and provide you with advice on what you need to do next. DO NOT get vaccinations unless NSW Health have advised you to. Our How To - Find my vaccination evidence document may assist with options to help you find your evidence. document may assist with options to help you find your evidence.
• You MUST provide evidence of your vaccination/immunisation history for specific infectious diseases for assessment by NSW Health. NSW Health will advise if/what additional vaccinations and/or serology tests may be required at your own cost and within required timeframes.
• NSW Health Policy outlines the requirements for all people entering NSW Health facilities. Students on placement are considered as Category A students.

What if I can’t find any evidence?

It’s ok. You might be surprised to find you already have immunity to some of the infectious diseases needed. Simply obtain blood tests results for the following. Get ‘assessed’ and go from there!

• Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
• Varicella
• Core Antibody Positive Hepatitis B

Step 3: Gather Your Evidence: Student ID Card

• Your Student ID card must be your FULL legal name, (including middle names)

  • If your name is incorrect on your SID card, you will need to change your enrolled name with Western. Refer to Changing your personal details webpage on how to update your information.

• If your photo is not accepted, refer to Student ID photo guidelines section on the Student ID cards webpage.

• Your SID card will be posted to you. Please be patient as there may be a delay in processing by Student Services Hub.

• Sign the back, scan a colour copy of the card, save it, and have it ready to submit with your documents.

Need a new SID card?

• If you’re a new commencing student, apply for a new Student ID Card (SID) through the ID mobile webpage.
• If your SID is expired and you require a new one, apply for a new one through Online ID webpage.
• If you have lost your SID, apply for a new one through by submitting a Student ID Card Enquiry form via WesternNow.

For more information on how to get a new SID card, visit the Student ID cards webpage.

Step 4: Gather your Evidence: National Police Checks

Students (both domestic and international) must provide a current Australian National Police Check (NPC) certificate in colour. You must apply through one of the below. If not, NSW Health will not accept it:

• An ACIC Accredited Body – You may choose any ACIC accredited body you prefer. A Volunteer NPC is accepted.
• The NSW Police Force – Choose a ‘Name and Date of Birth and choose “Student Placements” as purpose of check.
• The Australian Federal Police – required for International Offshore students – choose option 33 “Immigration/Citizenship” as purpose of check.

For more information on NPC, visit the Australian Crimincal Intelligence Comission - 'I need a check on myself' webpage.

Important things to know

Your NPC must:

• be requested in your FULL legal name including any middles name(s). Both current and previous
• have married name and/or maiden name
• have any version of your name found on your Student ID card, forms, and any evidence used

NSW Health will advise whether it is accepted or if a new NPC will be required. If you already have a current NPC, provide as part of your ‘assessment’.

Ensure you download and save your NPC Certificate, with the email you received with the certificate/link. The link will expire after three (3) months.

If you need to provide the certificate again to anyone, you will have to apply and pay for a new NPC. The email you received the certificate in, is also needed if you need to have your certificate certified.

What if I have Disclosable Outcomes on my certificate?

If your NPC certificate lists Disclosable Outcomes, or you list them in Appendix 3 Statutory Declaration of Criminal History (i.e. criminal convictions or pending court charges), this will not automatically prevent you from going on placement.

However, you must undertake an NSW Health Risk Assessment process and be cleared for placement before you can be considered compliant.

Step 5: Complete NSW Health Forms

ALL students must complete the following 3 NSW Health forms for an initial ‘assessment’:

1. NSW Health Code of Conduct Agreement for students
2. NSW Health Undertaking/Declaration Form
3. NSW Health Tuberculosis Assessment Tool

These forms can be filled out digitally and saved, making it easier to submit. You can use the electronic signature function in these forms.

Important things to know

• You must include your FULL legal name (including middle names) on all forms
• Your Education Provider is ‘Western Sydney University’
• Your email is your Western student email i.e. SID@student.westernsydney.edu.au
• Your ID number is your STUDENT ID number, not staff
• The date must be DD/MM/YYYY

Medicine, Midwifery and Paramedicine students MUST ALSO undergo testing for blood borne virus (BBVs) at the commencement of study or within the 12 months prior to commencement, and then have repeat tests every 3 years. A completed Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Student Declaration is required after each testing.

Step 6: Collate all health evidence for Document Evidence Presentation

Now that you have collected vaccination/immunisation evidence, NPC, and filled out all of the NSW Health forms, you can start combining everything together. Important note: For your NSW Health Student Compliance ‘assessment’, don’t wait until you have evidence for all the infectious diseases required. Combine everything you have been able to find so far. It’s important to get assessed by NSW Health to find out what else is needed and at what date intervals.

• Scan/download the following:

1. Student ID card
2. Vaccination Record Card / AIR Certificate / Serology reports, any other evidence
3. Australian NPC, if you have one
4. International NPC or Statutory Declaration (International students only) if you have one
5. NSW Health forms

• Combine all the documents into one (1) colour pdf file less than 5MB. Other formats will not be accepted.

Step 7: Submit Your Documentation

Once you have gathered all required evidence and completed your forms, submit your documentation for assessment by emailing studentcompliance@westernsydney.edu.au.

Step 8: Await Assessment Outcome

Once assessed, you will receive one of the following outcomes:

• ‘Compliant’ – you are eligible for placement (Some items will expire). Refer to InPlace for what will expire on what dates.
• ‘Temporary Compliant’ – you haven’t met all requirements; however you are you are eligible for placement for up to six months. Your outcome will expire, and revert to ‘not compliant’, and be removed from placement. You can only be ‘temporary compliant’ once in your first 9 12 months with Western. Once it expires, you must complete all outstanding requirements to become ‘compliant’.
• ‘Not Compliant’ – you are not eligible for placement. You have not met the minimum requirements. There is further action required for you to become ‘compliant’.

You may be contacted if additional information is required.

Important things to know

It can take up to six (6) months or more to become compliant, depending on the vaccinations or steps you are required to complete. Follow the instructions from NSW Health in your outcome. Stick to the timelines/dates NSW Health advise or you risk needing to have more vaccinations and/or blood tests, which will affect your outcome and may affect your progression in your program.

Step 9: Keep Your Compliance Current

Some compliance requirements expire and may need updating throughout your studies.

Not all students are assessed at the same time throughout the year. You will be emailed when it is your time about the information you need and how to submit your evidence for assessment by NSW Health.

Have your combined file ready to submit as soon as you receive the notification. You can always add/update your file while you wait.

Important things to know

It is your responsibility to keep copies of everything you submit. Due to privacy reasons, Western does not keep copies of your documents once they have been assessed. If you need to present any of your evidence again, e.g for employment with NSW Health, you will need to provide all your evidence again.

Students are responsible for ensuring their compliance remains current before placement.

Current NSW Health staff

If you are currently employed by NSW Health, you do not need to purchase a new National Police Check for the purpose of student compliance. Email the Health, Education and Training Institute (HETI) using your WSU student email account with both your student details and your NSW Health staff details, to request that your NPC information be transferred from StaffLink to ClinConnect for you.

However, regarding your other evidence, you MUST be reassessed as a ‘student’. You must complete all the NSW Health forms and provide evidence of your vaccinations/immunisations again to receive an ‘outcome’.

You can contact your staff health clinic and request a written result letter detailing your vaccination history and attach this to your Vaccination Record Card. It must include your full name and date of birth, or it will not be accepted.