The government has confirmed that NHS staff must have two jabs before the end of the year or face losing their jobs.
Currently, it’s estimated roughly 100,000 frontline NHS staff are not double vaccinated – with The Sunday Times have suggested that around 7% (106,351) of NHS staff in England have still not had a jab.
Health groups have kicked back against the plans, however – saying that this would force trusts to either fire staff or remove them from frontline duty at a time when the NHS is already chronically understaffed
The government’s decision to make vaccinations mandatory in the NHS comes as the Thursday 11 November deadline approaches for care staff to do the same: choose between having two jabs or losing their job.
The argument given by Mr Javid for doing so is that it would further protect vulnerable patients whilst staying in hospital, however, scientific advice listed on the government’s own website says that you can still catch Covid and pass it on when vaccinated.
According to The Sunday Times, around 7% (106,351) of NHS staff in England have still not been vaccinated.
The paper first broke the story that ministers were planning to force mandatory vaccinations on NHS staff at the end of October.
Now, a draft policy document from the government has emerged that states: “As we return pre-pandemic norms seasonal flu and SARS-CoV-2 viruses have the potential to add substantially to the ‘winter pressures’ usually faced by the NHS, particularly if infection waves from both viruses coincide – vaccination against both Covid-19 and flu is a critical step in protecting the vulnerable as well as the wider health and social care system against a tough winter this year, and in future years.”
The document reportedly questions whether residents in care homes and hospitals are sufficiently protected by staff, saying there is “unacceptable uncertainty” around the manner according to The i Paper.
It continues, “While this was accepted by some in the past as the way of things, a normal feature of excess winter mortality, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in both hospitals and care homes brings in to very sharp focus whether in future that absence of protection for patients and those who are served by health and social care should continue to be accepted as the norm, for both flu and for Covid-19.”
An insider source told the paper: “I think they want to look big and clever. This is all part of Javid’s ‘I’m not taking any nonsense from doctors’ stance.
“He picked a fight with GPs [over remote consultations] he didn’t need to have and could now be picking a fight with the wider health and care community.”
Meanwhile, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said, “We do not think that making the Covid vaccine mandatory for doctors is either necessary or proportionate. So if it’s true that the Department of Health is pressing ahead with compulsory vaccination we would be very wary.”
Feature image – Flickr.
