Care homes are set to lose thousands of staff members when coronavirus vaccines are made compulsory, bosses have warned.  

From next Thursday, it will be a legal requirement for staff who are not exempt to be doubly vaccinated if they are to continue in their role to protect vulnerable older people from Covid-19. 

Nurses and healthcare assistants in care homes who are not fully jabbed could migrate to the NHS as employees are not yet required to be vaccinated, industry bosses said.  

A decision on whether NHS workers should also be required to have a mandatory vaccine has been delayed until spring. 

Dr Charles Armitage, director of healthcare recruiter the National Care Force, told the Mail on Sunday: ‘Unvaccinated staff are going to leave and work in retail and hospitality, or go to the NHS because they don’t need to have vaccinations to work there – which is robbing Peter to pay Paul.

‘Then you suddenly get this influx of workers into the NHS who are unvaccinated and it just shifts the problem there.’

Around 89.4% of staff working in older age care homes had received two vaccine doses as of October 31, according to data from NHS England.

The remaining 49,040 staff – around one in 10 of the total – had not been recorded as having received two doses at this point.

The equivalent figure for staff in care homes for under-65s is 13.6% – 11,924 staff.

This suggests a total of 60,964 staff have not had a second jab or their second jab has not been reported as of the end of October.

The new regulations cover any worker, including NHS staff, tradespeople and inspectors, who must enter a care home as part of their employment.

But residents and their visitors, or people who need to enter the residence to provide emergency assistance or urgent maintenance, or under-18s will not need to show proof of vaccination.

Sector leaders fear an exodus of care staff which they warn will threaten safe care.

Adam Purnell, director of social care at the Institute of Health and Social Care Management, said it will be ‘horrific’ for the sector to lose so many staff so suddenly, and that residents in some settings will be at risk.

He added there would be ‘no shame’ in the Government postponing next week’s deadline until after winter, as this would reduce the burden on services.

Mike Padgham, the Independent Care Group chairman, said the Government should ‘rethink’ next week’s deadline, adding that shortages could lead to homes closing and have a ‘knock on effect on the health service’.

He said: ‘We’re struggling now, Covid hasn’t gone away, and we could do with a bit longer.’

The Department of Health and Social Care said it is its responsibility to ‘do everything we can to protect vulnerable people’.

A spokesman said: ‘We are working closely with local authorities and care home providers to ensure there will always be enough staff with the right skills to deliver high quality care.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article