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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 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Frontline NHS staff in England will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the government is expected to announce later. | Frontline NHS staff in England will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the government is expected to announce later. |
| A deadline will be set for next spring to give unvaccinated staff time to get both doses, Whitehall sources told the BBC. | A deadline will be set for next spring to give unvaccinated staff time to get both doses, Whitehall sources told the BBC. |
| 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. |
| The BBC understands that the flu vaccine will not be made mandatory and there will be exemptions for the Covid vaccine requirement for medical reasons. | The BBC understands that the flu vaccine will not be made mandatory and there will be exemptions for the Covid vaccine requirement for medical reasons. |
| 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 |
| Last month, Health Secretary Sajid Javid told the BBC he was leaning towards compulsory vaccination for NHS staff in England. | |
| He said he did not want the NHS to lose any staff, but said the experience in the social care sector was that the numbers taking up the vaccine "absolutely surged" after it was made compulsory. | He said he did not want the NHS to lose any staff, but said the experience in the social care sector was that the numbers taking up the vaccine "absolutely surged" after it was made compulsory. |
| Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents England's NHS trusts, urged the government to think carefully about the tone of any announcement, saying unvaccinated staff should not be scapegoated or denigrated. | |
| "We understand why people are vaccine-hesitant. We need to win the argument with them rather than beat them around the head," he told BBC Radio 4's Today, saying peer-to-peer conversations were the best way to convince people. | |
| 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. | |
| He called on the government to work closely with NHS trusts to try to avoid staff leaving. | He called on the government to work closely with NHS trusts to try to avoid staff leaving. |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. |
| Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said it was indisputable that the more people who have the vaccine, particularly in vulnerable settings, the safer we will be. | |
| 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. |
| At Southampton General Hospital, frontline workers were told by letter in September they would face deployment if they did not get vaccinated. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. |
| Are you frontline NHS staff and affected by any issues raised here? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you frontline NHS staff and affected by any issues raised here? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
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