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| Covid-19: Vaccines to be compulsory for frontline NHS staff in England | Covid-19: Vaccines to be compulsory for frontline NHS staff in England |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Frontline NHS staff in England will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the health secretary has announced. | Frontline NHS staff in England will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the health secretary has announced. |
| A deadline is expected to be set for 1 April next year to give unvaccinated staff time to get both doses, Sajid Javid told the Commons. | A deadline is expected to be set for 1 April next year to give unvaccinated staff time to get both doses, Sajid Javid told the Commons. |
| Between 80,000 and 100,000 NHS workers in England were unvaccinated, said Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers. | Between 80,000 and 100,000 NHS workers in England were unvaccinated, said Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers. |
| Thursday is the deadline for care home workers in England to get vaccinated. | Thursday is the deadline for care home workers in England to get vaccinated. |
| The government's decision follows a consultation which began in September and considered whether both the Covid and flu jabs should be compulsory for frontline NHS and care workers. | The government's decision follows a consultation which began in September and considered whether both the Covid and flu jabs should be compulsory for frontline NHS and care workers. |
| Mr Javid said the flu vaccine would not be made mandatory. | Mr Javid said the flu vaccine would not be made mandatory. |
| There will be exemptions for the Covid vaccine requirement for medical reasons, and for those who do not have face-to-face contact with patients in their work, he added. | There will be exemptions for the Covid vaccine requirement for medical reasons, and for those who do not have face-to-face contact with patients in their work, he added. |
| In a statement to MPs, Mr Javid said responses to the consultation showed support for vaccination to become a condition and concerns that some people might choose to leave their jobs. | |
| But, having considered the responses, as well as advice from his officials and NHS leaders, he concluded that all those working in the NHS and social care would have to be vaccinated, he said. | |
| "We must avoid preventable harm and protect patients in the NHS, protect colleagues in the NHS and, of course, protect the NHS itself." | |
| He said the requirement would be enforced from April, with parliamentary approval. | |
| No unvaccinated worker should be "scapegoated", said Mr Javid, and should instead be supported to make "a positive choice". | |
| Each of the four UK nations makes its own decisions on the issue. | Each of the four UK nations makes its own decisions on the issue. |
| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not made any proposals to make Covid jabs compulsory for NHS workers or care home staff. | Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not made any proposals to make Covid jabs compulsory for NHS workers or care home staff. |
| How many NHS staff are vaccinated? | How many NHS staff are vaccinated? |
| Get Covid jab or restrictions more likely - Javid | Get Covid jab or restrictions more likely - Javid |
| Jabs to be compulsory for England care home staff | Jabs to be compulsory for England care home staff |
| 'NHS could lose experienced staff over Covid jabs' | 'NHS could lose experienced staff over Covid jabs' |
| Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents England's NHS trusts, said: "We understand why people are vaccine-hesitant. We need to win the argument with them rather than beat them around the head." | Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents England's NHS trusts, said: "We understand why people are vaccine-hesitant. We need to win the argument with them rather than beat them around the head." |
| The possibility of losing staff was a "real problem" as the NHS runs on fine margins and already relies on staff to work extra shifts, he added. | The possibility of losing staff was a "real problem" as the NHS runs on fine margins and already relies on staff to work extra shifts, he added. |
| Staffing gaps a worry for NHS bosses | Staffing gaps a worry for NHS bosses |
| The decision had been anticipated after Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he was leaning towards the idea of mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS staff. | The decision had been anticipated after Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he was leaning towards the idea of mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS staff. |
| Patient safety, he argued, was in his view the central issue. | Patient safety, he argued, was in his view the central issue. |
| But health leaders - while expressing support for the idea - also set out reservations. | But health leaders - while expressing support for the idea - also set out reservations. |
| Losing key workers at a time of concerns about staffing gaps is clearly a worry for NHS bosses. | Losing key workers at a time of concerns about staffing gaps is clearly a worry for NHS bosses. |
| They have no doubt been watching developments in the adult social care sector where there is a deadline later this week for staff in England to be double-jabbed. | They have no doubt been watching developments in the adult social care sector where there is a deadline later this week for staff in England to be double-jabbed. |
| There have been warnings of resignations among care home workers unwilling to get vaccinated. | There have been warnings of resignations among care home workers unwilling to get vaccinated. |
| Health unions are not keen on mandatory vaccination and will argue that persuasion rather than force is the best route. | Health unions are not keen on mandatory vaccination and will argue that persuasion rather than force is the best route. |
| The question is whether such a move in England will alienate staff already feeling the strain of growing pressure on the front line. | The question is whether such a move in England will alienate staff already feeling the strain of growing pressure on the front line. |
| It remains to be seen whether public opinion is sympathetic to vaccine-hesitant staff or concerned more to ensure patients are treated by people with some protection against the virus. | It remains to be seen whether public opinion is sympathetic to vaccine-hesitant staff or concerned more to ensure patients are treated by people with some protection against the virus. |
| Unison head of health Sara Gorton said she feared the move might knock staff morale further and prompt workers to leave - or lose their job. | Unison head of health Sara Gorton said she feared the move might knock staff morale further and prompt workers to leave - or lose their job. |
| The government should consider alternatives like daily testing - not risk making the same mistake made with mandatory jabs in social care which had led to an "unprecedented staffing crisis", she added. | The government should consider alternatives like daily testing - not risk making the same mistake made with mandatory jabs in social care which had led to an "unprecedented staffing crisis", she added. |
| Lots of money for health - but what about staff? | Lots of money for health - but what about staff? |
| 'You've got to do the right thing' | 'You've got to do the right thing' |
| Douglas Ferguson, a surgeon at Exeter Hospital, said it was the government's responsibility to protect the population, describing the policy as "quite sensible". | Douglas Ferguson, a surgeon at Exeter Hospital, said it was the government's responsibility to protect the population, describing the policy as "quite sensible". |
| "I think to be honest if people who don't want to be vaccinated feel that an injection, which is very well scientifically researched, is something that they decide they're going to change their entire career for, it seems unwise, I would say." | "I think to be honest if people who don't want to be vaccinated feel that an injection, which is very well scientifically researched, is something that they decide they're going to change their entire career for, it seems unwise, I would say." |
| Overall, Mr Ferguson thought the move was likely to be welcomed by staff. | Overall, Mr Ferguson thought the move was likely to be welcomed by staff. |
| "If all the staff know everybody else is vaccinated - I mean the majority are already anyway - I think it would give further confidence in you doing your job and potentially from those members of staff also." | "If all the staff know everybody else is vaccinated - I mean the majority are already anyway - I think it would give further confidence in you doing your job and potentially from those members of staff also." |
| He added that he only knew of one colleague who had chosen not to be vaccinated. | He added that he only knew of one colleague who had chosen not to be vaccinated. |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| Care home worker Hayley Evans told the BBC in September that she resented not having a choice over the vaccine | Care home worker Hayley Evans told the BBC in September that she resented not having a choice over the vaccine |
| From Thursday, care homes will be required to refuse entry to workers who have not been fully vaccinated, unless they have a medical exemption or there is an emergency. | From Thursday, care homes will be required to refuse entry to workers who have not been fully vaccinated, unless they have a medical exemption or there is an emergency. |
| In the NHS, more than 92% of frontline staff have had their first dose and 89% are fully vaccinated - higher than the general working-age population, where about 81% have had both doses. | In the NHS, more than 92% of frontline staff have had their first dose and 89% are fully vaccinated - higher than the general working-age population, where about 81% have had both doses. |
| But NHS figures show vaccination rates vary hugely: among hospitals, Dorset County hospital has the highest at 94.6%, while Barts Health NHS Trust has the lowest rate of fully vaccinated staff, at 79.7%. | But NHS figures show vaccination rates vary hugely: among hospitals, Dorset County hospital has the highest at 94.6%, while Barts Health NHS Trust has the lowest rate of fully vaccinated staff, at 79.7%. |
| At Southampton General Hospital, frontline workers were told by letter in September they would face redeployment if they did not get vaccinated. | At Southampton General Hospital, frontline workers were told by letter in September they would face redeployment if they did not get vaccinated. |
| One worker said she felt bullied and disappointed, saying: "For me, I think it's freedom of choice. | One worker said she felt bullied and disappointed, saying: "For me, I think it's freedom of choice. |
| "I made my mind up that I'm not quite ready yet to have it and it's my own risk, isn't it?" she told the BBC in September. | "I made my mind up that I'm not quite ready yet to have it and it's my own risk, isn't it?" she told the BBC in September. |
| Some countries have already introduced compulsory vaccination - including France, which had to suspend 3,000 unvaccinated healthcare workers in September. | Some countries have already introduced compulsory vaccination - including France, which had to suspend 3,000 unvaccinated healthcare workers in September. |
| It is unclear exactly which workers will qualify as "frontline", but BBC health correspondent Nick Triggle said it could include clerical and administrative staff who pass through wards. | It is unclear exactly which workers will qualify as "frontline", but BBC health correspondent Nick Triggle said it could include clerical and administrative staff who pass through wards. |
| More than 45.8 million people in the UK have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, meaning 79.7% of people aged over 12 are fully vaccinated, while 87.4% have had a first dose. | More than 45.8 million people in the UK have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, meaning 79.7% of people aged over 12 are fully vaccinated, while 87.4% have had a first dose. |
| Vaccinated people have a lower risk of catching Covid and are less likely to become seriously ill or need to go to hospital, but there is still a chance they can transmit the virus. | Vaccinated people have a lower risk of catching Covid and are less likely to become seriously ill or need to go to hospital, but there is still a chance they can transmit the virus. |
| The number of daily confirmed cases of Covid-19 remains high but is falling, with 32,322 reported on Monday. Deaths continue to rise week-on-week, with 1,191 reported in the last seven days. | The number of daily confirmed cases of Covid-19 remains high but is falling, with 32,322 reported on Monday. Deaths continue to rise week-on-week, with 1,191 reported in the last seven days. |
| Correction: This story has been amended to make clear that Barts Health NHS Trust has the lowest vaccine take-up rate among trusts running hospitals in England, and not Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as previously stated. | Correction: This story has been amended to make clear that Barts Health NHS Trust has the lowest vaccine take-up rate among trusts running hospitals in England, and not Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as previously stated. |
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