Double-jab covid regulations for care home workers and volunteers likely to lead to staff shortages

Care home staff and volunteers will have to be double-jabbed to stay in their role Photo interstid/iStock

Regulations coming into force on November 11 making it mandatory for care home staff and volunteers to be double-jabbed against covid will likely result in homes being short-staffed.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have amended regulations to make it compulsory for all care home workers and other visiting professionals  to be fully vaccinated unless they have an exemption or there is an emergency.

This means staff have to have their first jab by September 16 in order to be ready for the second dose before the rule comes into force.

But one care home manager in Thanet says although it is the best way to protect residents, there will be staff losses.

Toni Simmons-Leworthy, who manages Redcot Lodge in Margate, said: “I think it’s the best and only option going forward. We have a duty to protect the residents and each other.

“It’s just a shame the care staff haven’t had more time to make the decision to have it done. They have worked tirelessly through the pandemic and they now feel like they being punished for having an opinion.

“I am losing one carer and I know other homes that are also losing staff. The risk of being short staffed is greater than the risk of bringing covid into the homes when this comes into force.

“All staff at Redcot Lodge are tested weekly with the PCRs and at least twice a week with Lateral Flow tests.”

Job loss predictions

Government analysis on the impact of the regulations predicts that seven per cent of care home workers are likely to refuse vaccines, resulting in around 40,000 staff in England losing their jobs.

However, a poll by carehome.co.uk suggest that opposition to the policy within the sector is significantly higher.

A spokesperson for carehome.co.uk, said: “On the one hand, we have already lost thousands of care home residents to this awful virus and we should do everything we can to protect them. But on the other hand, by forcing people to have the vaccine, we could lose a huge number of care home staff, many of whom love working in care and see it as a real vocation.

“The government needs to give care homes some much needed support over the coming months to ensure they can cope with a possible recruitment crisis if care workers do end up leaving because of this policy.

“The huge number of deaths in care homes have been catastrophic and if compulsory vaccination of care home staff gives residents better protection that it should definitely be welcomed. But not if it plunges care homes into a staffing crisis as that is also detrimental to the health of residents and can put their lives in danger.”

Advice

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has published advice to help employers and staff understand the new rules.

The service says employers should have regular discussions about the new law with staff and any recognised trade union representatives or employee representatives before November 11 to help retain staff and avoid resignations or dismissals.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said:“Care home staff across England need to be prepared for the upcoming change in the law around vaccinations, which kicks in from November 11.

“Workers may not have yet received two vaccinations and some staff may be concerned that they won’t get a second vaccination in time for the legal change. Others could be unsure if they are exempt from the new rule.

“Our advice can help employers to prepare for the new law. It includes tips on how to support staff to be fully vaccinated and avoid losing talented workers.”

Expanding the regulations

A consultation has now been launched over proposals to expand the double vaccination rule to all  frontline health and social care staff in England.

It would mean only those who are fully vaccinated, unless medically exempt, could be deployed to deliver health and care services. The six week consultation will also seek views on whether flu vaccines should be a requirement for health and care workers.

Find the consultation here https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/making-vaccination-a-condition-of-deployment-in-the-health-and-wider-social-care-sector

51 Comments

  1. There is nothing like forcing people to have this vaccination, this government is becoming more of a dictatorship every day,for months people have been going to large events and as usual rules come in far too late for insisting only people with 2 injections can get in.Sorry but this country has become an embarrasment with the late rules and dic tac.

      • Agree with God Help Us.
        Care home manager says workers haven’t had time to decide? What rubbish. The vaccine has been available for nine months now.

          • The biggest risk to the elderly of dying is not having enough carers to look after them, the sector is already struggling, this will make things a lot worse. These people have spent 18 months looking after the elderly while the useless government denied them PPE & sent people into their homes with the virus, now because they refuse to be forced to put something potentially harmful or even lethal into their body they get fired-hope they sue.

          • Never heard of the Nuremberg Code Peter? Forcing people to take experimental medicines – frowned upon in civilised societies – and reminiscent of the Nazis. Not safe and not effective judging by the adverse reactions and deaths world wide via statistics from governments.

  2. Total insanity & it looks like it will be bought into the NHS as well-both care homes & hospitals are hanging on by a thread as it is, this will likely finish it off as the Tories want-so it can be a pay or die system like the US, or they bring in big companies to run them like Burger King.

  3. If the science says “get vaccinated”, then get vaccinated.
    There’s absolutely no reason not to.
    As Peter said, it’s to protect the elderly and vulnerable residents. If these “carers” care so little then they’re better off out of the industry.

    • There has never been one science Andrew. Many leading scientists and doctors across the world refuse to take this experimental gene therapy jab as they view it as unsafe, and are on record as saying so. Similar with some nurses, doctors, care workers and military who witnessed some of the adverse reactions and deaths. Not safe and not effective.

    • No one side of the science says that. Currently there is more people dying of the vaccine which they say only offers 50% protection from a disease the majority don’t even know they have. Don’t keep telling people what to do on here please

  4. Forcing anyone to take any form of medication or vaccine is criminal. This government has let its unchallenged corrupting of public services and human rights to infiltrate its control over every aspect of ordinary people’s lives.
    Adolf Johnson cares for no one.

    Worth a read:-https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/analysis/mandatory-covid19-vaccinations-health-sector-position-across-europe

    • “Forcing anyone to take any form of medication or vaccine is criminal” what a load of crap! I’ll tell you what should be criminalised is people with your mentality of working with highly vulnerable people when you could likely end up killing them, what would you say to the in vaccinated carer that passed on the virus to your loved one who subsequently died…….I think all anti vaxxers should be painted luminous Orange if not permanently confined to their home.

    • Nobody’s actually forcing anybody. However, I don’t understand why people working with very vulnerable individuals wouldn’t want to take every precaution they can to keep them safe.

  5. I wouldn’t want stupid conspiracy theorists who ignore official medical advice looking after my loved ones.

  6. Anyone under 60 who is reasonably fit and healthy has very little to fear from covid, so it is perfectly reasonable for them to decide not to have the vaccine.
    That far too many in this country have also taken decisions in respect their health and fitness that has led them to being vulnerable to covid is something that they should have to contend with and not expect everyone else to accept something they neither need nor want.
    As for care home staff there is a justification for wanting staff to be vaccinated and if those who decline wish to seek alternative employment its entirely their choice, however it then leaves the sector trying to fill poorly paid vacancies for which their afre often few applicants. Has this vaccination edict been passed within the nhs as well? And if not why not? The nhs has been one of the primary vectors for covid throughout the pandemic.
    But as has become the norm with covid people want to lay blame at someone elses door, the best thing the nation could do is get on the scales and if their bmi is over 27 and or they get out of breath on a brisk walk or climbing stairs , they made a determined effort to do something about it. Those choosing not to do so are bery much part of the problem in the way the country has suffered from and reacted to covid. But almost none will make any efforts to improve their lot , as a result i have little sympathy for their views or fate.

    • Early in the pandemic a healthy 39 year old nurse who worked at QEQM died of Covid… or have we all forgot about that?

      • Look into the statistics for those that have suffered the most and correlate that with thier weight , then look at the countries around the world that have the highest death rates per million and compare that with the obesity rankings those countries have.
        It’s pointless people bleating on about “following the science” if they then choose to ignore one of the most obvious underlying conditions that adversley affects a persons outcome from covid.
        The country has a problem with excess weight and the conditions associated with it, that its ignored because so many carry excess weight and so have to be appeased is plain daft. By all means let people choose to be fat and cost the country billions in terms of health costs , social care and additional needs , but at least be honest and open. Its a far bigger problem than a minority choosing not to get vaccinated.

  7. “Anyone under 60 who is reasonably fit and healthy has very little to fear from covid, ” …. apart from Long Covid, which is a serious, chronic and life-changing disease.

    • Which affects exactly how many as a percentage of sufferers who are fit and healthy ? And how long does long covid need to be to called long? Its a very unspecific term bandied about too readily in the covid propoganda campaign.
      Can we say that fat people that wheeze and get short of breath when presented with physical tasks have “long fat”?

        • Read a my previous comment, and also consider do why so many choose to ignore the health issues of being overweight. You have those that feel that the unvaccinated should refrain from using the nhs if they get covid, would the same people say the obese should not use the nhs until they’ve lost weight?

          • Brilliant LC. They have brought into a propaganda campaign that blames the unvaccinated. These people want the unvaccinated discarded from society have learnt zero lessons from history. I understand its a more mild situation, but they sit and wonder how it was so hard for the nazis to turn Germans against the Jews and for the communist party. Even certain politicians understand that mainstream media distort facts and figures with graphs etc to make it look worse than it is. Never discard people for their health choices. You people who do. The likes of Peter are disgrace to everything regarding freedom. The fact you are proud of your opinions makes you even more vile. Go and tell the families who had a healthy family member and lost them to a pointless vaccine all your propaganda facts peter

  8. Isn’t it amusing how the pro experimental jabbers are the ones who can only resort to tired old framed propaganda terms such as conspiracy this or anti that, and sound as though they’d be first in line to follow any Nazi or Stasi directive and push their fellow humans off a cliff. Perhaps they should be banned for their lack of research and grasp of the facts (that’s a joke btw following their demands that any questioning of the official narrative is censored). How many in hospital covid wards are double jabbed? The vast majority in some wards according to my witnesses. That then begs the question – what are they suffering from? Is that why some care workers and other medical professionals will not take this experiment? Have they now researched and seen enough to know it is not safe and it is not effective. Pro choice, pro research, pro using your brain, pro protecting the health and fertility of our young, not pro using anything with any lack of long term safety data.

    • It’s even more amusing how these conspiracy theorists nearly always wish to remain anonymous. If I REALLY believe in something I like everyone to know who’s saying it.

    • This is the third time for me to ask this: what is the definition of “framed propaganda term” I can’t find one.

    • Tim’s 9.19am comment is extremely offensive. Comparing people like me to the Nazis? He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!

      By the way, what is a “framed propaganda term”?

  9. If “some” medical and health care workers had indeed done their research, they would be queing up to get double jabbed, and be first in line for a booster, because they’d know that having the vaccine was two orders of magnitude safer than not; safer than the Pill, safer than taking a long haul flight. Not effective? Despite the government relaxing all lockdown restrictions, the number of serious illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths is much lower than it was, and would be lower still if mislead, misguided and foolish people declined the vaccine.

  10. ” How many in hospital covid wards are double jabbed? The vast majority in some wards according to my witnesses”
    Well, the more people that get vaccinated, the more likely it is that anyone in hospital will have been vaccinated. It doesn’t “prove” that the vaccine doesn’t work. But it is a figure ceased upon by some who don’t think things through too clearly.
    Your “witnesses”? Good grief.

    • Quite agree, but it shows the lack of ability to understand statistical data as well as a government and media willing to present information in the manner that suits them best rather than clearly presenting facts.

      • The facts are clearly presented.
        But some people, out of malice, mischief or misunderstanding, chose to draw wrong conclusions from the data.
        So, on the face of it, increasing numbers of double vaccinated people are ending up in hospital with Covid. The erroneous conclusion bandied about on antivaxx web sites is that the vaccines don’t work.
        WRONG
        The reason that there is an increase in the number of double jabbed in hospital is simply that there’s an increase in the number of double jabbed people and the vaccines are only about 90% effective.
        If it were not for some care workers and other misguided people, we would have near 100% coverage. In which case, almost every patient in hospital with Covid would have been double jabbed.
        Best to get your data (and conclusions) from responsible web sites.
        And that generally excludes youtube clips featuring men in white coats, spotted bow ties, sitting behind a large desk in front of an impressive bookcase full of impressive books.

        • Why have 12% of ‘frontline’ nhs workers not had the jab then Andrew? Surely they are in the best position to judge for themselves and large numbers aren’t in any serious rush to get it

          • Ask 88% of front line NHS workers why they have had the jab. Surely they are in the best position to judge for themselves and large numbers are in a serious rush to get it.

          • Given the NHS is the nations largest employer , it’s likely that the vaccine uptake by the employees is pretty representative of the adult population as a whole , the numbers reflecting general chice rather than anything nhs specific.
            Though of that 12% how many have already had covid and as a result natural immunity? Same innthe larger population , if you know you had natural immunity would you still choose to be vaccinated?

        • My objections are to the use of statistics which when it suits uses real numbers, then changes to percentages when numbers are low but its deemed necessary to make it look as though increases are large. When it comes to hospitals, it would be much better to have declared purely numerically on each day
          The number admitted purely because of covid
          The number admitted overall
          The number discharged.

          The use of death within 28 days of a positive test was just a way of increasing numbers toinduce fear.
          As was the use of “where covid was mentioned on the death certificate”
          If you had severe coronary heart disease and were at deaths door anyway covid pushing you over the threshold can hardly be seen as the primary cause of death, had the person been fit and healthy its unlikely covid would have killed them.
          Just as some health authorities will not list excess weight as an underlying condition , because they have not weighted the patient to determine beyond doubt that its the case.
          We’ve been repeatedly told that science leads the way but have had endless misleading use of statistics and definitions which can hardly be seen as scientific.
          If you expect people to trust you , then facts and clearly defined terms need to be used.

          • It’s not the scientists, but the politicians, that continue to use misleading statistics.
            The whole point about science (as I’ve said many times before) is that observations of some phenomena are made, results recorded, and an hypothesis derived. This is then tested by other scientists (can the results be replicated; are they consistent; can the hypothesis predict outcomes?) and then and only then are the results published in learned journals.
            In using the results, it makes sense sometimes to use % – for example, looking at rate of increase or decrease of infection. Other times absolute figures are needed, for example in ordering up enough vaccines to cope with demand.

          • Sorry Andrew, what’s wrong with putting up both a percentage and actual numbers? A 62% increase in hospitalisations sounds truly horrifying but and in crease from 50 to 81 is nothing across say the whole of kent. In addition at one time there was the use of the number of hospital admissions each day, many saw this as the extra number of people admitted that day , whereas it was actually the total number of inpatients on that day.
            There has been too great a reliance on distorted facts and figures by politicians and their advisors to force a narrative forward, the scientists are remiss in not making sure that the actual figures behind their forecasts etc were used.
            Too much is pushed forward with “could” “possibly” “likely” etc in order to present worst case scenarios , almost anything /everything is possible but some things have an almost negligible chance of occuring.
            Only yesterday a news article said that in younger males the vaccine was a greater risk to the individual than covid (in terms of fatality) , but we still get stories of vaccinating younger children, is it really for society to push risk on an individual in order to notionally protect the wider population?
            And today a story suggesting that “vaccine passports” will not be introduced for nightclubs etc.

  11. GOOD AFTERNOON
    I’ve been reading your comments on and off since 3am thats when had few minutes free when MY 31 CLIENTS sleeping or resting or didn’t need me or my Co worker!!!
    SO WHO ACTUALLY WORKS OR HAS WORKED IN A CARE HOME SETTING IN THE PAST YEAR?? Huge respect and shout out and THANK YOU to YOU.

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