BY DAKOTA TAIT
Hunter aged care providers say the Government has reached out, with the intention of allowing them to apply for tender for their nurses to be able to perform vaccinations in-house.
It comes as the Hunter records a tripling in cases in local nursing homes over the last month.
There's been little news on whether support from Defence Force personnel is on the horizon for providers in the Hunter, but the change to the vaccination rollout is being welcomed.
Maroba Aged Care CEO Viv Allanson says it's an obvious decision.
"Now, when everyone needs to have a third vaccine to be fully vaccinated, now the Government's saying, 'Oh, well, we recognise you've got great people that can do this,'" Ms Allanson said.
"'If you'd like to put up your hand to do it, you can put in for a tender.'"
More than 80 percent of aged care residents across the country have now received their booster.
The Commonwealth says it will continue to supply in-reach clinics for providers who are unable to take part in self-vaccination.
Ms Allanson it's better late than never, but she sees more outbreaks on the horizon.
"We want to take control, and be able to do it in a timely way when people fall due for their third doses," Ms Allanson said.
"We don't want to have to keep sending people out, we don't want to have to keep setting up appointments and finding that our GP can't supply doses."
"We welcome this, but I just think, how sad, that we've had to wait so long."
