Northern NSW residents needing specialist medical care in Queensland have today received clearer guidance from health authorities about what to do if they live outside the border zone. 

Read more news: Local doctor says Qld border closure puts lives at risk

While eligible residents can apply for a medical exemption border declaration pass, quarantine rules still apply for patients – with different rules applying to a support person accompanying them to the appointment. 

Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) chief executive Wayne Jones said people coulsdstill travel to Queensland under under Paragraph 11 (i) of the current Public Health Direction.

Mr Jones said eligible residents must apply for a Queensland Border Declaration Pass and choose the option “Entering Queensland to obtain specialist health care that cannot be obtained at your place of residence, or as a support person to a person obtaining such care and can provide evidence of the time and place of the specialist appointment.”

To access the pass, visit: https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/border-closing

When crossing the border by road into Queensland, residents will need to present their border declaration, as well as documentation confirming their medical appointment or treatment.

Specialist health care includes the following:

• Queensland Children's Hospital appointment confirmed in writing by the hospital

• Specialist outpatient appointment at a Queensland Hospital and Health Service, confirmed in writing by the service

• Specialist appointment at a licensed Queensland private health facility, confirmed in writing by the service

• Specialist appointment, confirmed in writing by the service along with a written referral from a GP

• Other appointments at a Queensland Hospital and Health Service accompanied by a form signed by the Chief Executive that the patient requires specialist health care in Queensland.

“A patient who does not meet these requirements will not be able to enter Queensland unless granted an individual exemption by the Chief Health Officer,” Mr Jones said. “Exceptional circumstances must exist.” 

Exemption requests can be made at https://healthserviceportal.health.qld.gov.au/hdsp

Quarantine

Patients will have to quarantine as follows:

An inpatient must stay at the hospital if receiving treatment as an inpatient.

An outpatient must stay in government arranged accommodation if treatment is as an outpatient for more than one day.

For a day treatment or appointment, the person must leave Queensland immediately following the treatment/appointment.

A support person accompanying someone receiving essential medical care will need to stay in government arranged accommodation, at their own expense. Alternatively, they can drop the person at the medical facility and drive straight back without stopping in Queensland and then come back to pick them up.

Children receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital, and their family, can quarantine with the child at the hospital.

For more information about border declarations, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/border-pass

Tweed Hospital closure

Mr Jones also said the Tweed Hospital will not close if harsher border restrictions are enforced by the QLD Government.

“The NNSWLHD, NSW Health, and the NSW Government are working tirelessly with the Queensland Government and Queensland Health to overcome these unprecedented challenges,” he said.

“We are implementing workforce contingency plans to ensure we continue to provide high-quality care at The Tweed Hospital.

“The current restrictions imposed by QLD requires NNSWLHD to review services, including non-urgent elective surgery, to ensure we have appropriate levels of clinical staff to manage urgent and emergency presentations. All efforts are being made to minimise any impacts on service delivery.

“The NNSWLHD is also negotiating with clinical and non-clinical staff to understand which staff, who live in QLD but work in NSW, are able to continue to provide their services if alternate accommodation arrangements are made.

“All efforts are being made to limit the impact of border closures on our NNSWLHD hospitals and it is important to note that more than 20% of patients attending the Tweed Hospital Emergency Department are QLD residents, and these patients will be required to attend QLD-based hospitals for care.”