I know that the Government is encouraging frontline workers in health and social care to be vaccinated because they are more likely to be exposed to COVID-19. They are also often working with the most vulnerable to this devastating disease. NHS England figures for the number of vaccinations up to 8th July show that 90 per cent of NHS workers have received at least one dose of vaccine, however that still does mean that 1 in 10 NHS workers has not been vaccinated.
The Government recently made COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for care home workers, with the legislation coming into effect from October 2021. The responses to this made a case for extending this policy beyond care homes to other settings where people vulnerable to COVID-19 receive care, such as domiciliary care and wider healthcare settings.
Carers have a duty of care towards those that they look after and it is right that the Government has taken robust action to protect those most vulnerable to COVID-19. It is also important to note that mandatory vaccination of those with a duty of care already exists in the form of the requirement for surgeons to have a vaccine against hepatitis B.
The Government will launch a further public consultation on whether or not to make COVID-19 and flu vaccination a condition of deployment in healthcare and wider social care settings as well. This is a complex issue and so it is right that the Government is looking for a wide range of perspectives from across the health and care sector about whether this should be introduced and how it could be implemented. I therefore would encourage you to take part in this consultation when it opens.
Employers have a responsibility to ensure that information they hold on their employees is held in a way that protects their privacy. This includes any information they may hold relating to an employee’s medical history and I believe that any disclosure of this should only be with the permission of the individual concerned. I entirely understand the desire to ensure that those coming into close contact with the vulnerable have taken all the necessary protective steps and I would urge any healthcare staff who have not had the vaccine to book an appointment as soon as possible. Of course, at all times, regardless of vaccination status, staff should wear the necessary PPE and take safety measures to mitigate risk.
