Government WILL try to make Covid vaccines COMPULSORY for care home staff, Matt Hancock confirms
- He argued workers have a ‘duty of care’ because residents are Covid vulnerable
- Five week consultation will now take place to see if move is practical and ethical
- Critics argue plan could pave way for mandatory vaccines in other sectors
Ministers will push for coronavirus vaccines to become mandatory for care home staff, Matt Hancock confirmed today.
The Health Secretary argued workers have a ‘duty of care’ because elderly residents are most at risk of dying from the virus.
Department of Health chiefs will test the water on the controversial move, launching a five-week consultation on the proposal.
Mr Hancock said industry bosses have called for ‘no jab, no job’ policies and that the jabs were ‘our route out of this pandemic’.
But England’s care chief said today the industry was still ‘divided’ over the controversial scheme, which was first leaked three weeks ago.
Critics have attacked the plans over fears they could set a dangerous precedent for other sectors.
NHS England figures show more than a fifth of care home workers are still to come forward for their jab, the equivalent of nearly 100,000. More than a quarter of all Covid deaths have been care home residents.
Ministers will try to make coronavirus vaccines compulsory for care home staff, Matt Hancock confirmed today
Martin Green, chief of Care England, said: ‘We have been really impressed how care providers have worked with their staff to listen to their concerns about the vaccine and this has had a very positive effect with a good take up.
‘The sector is divided on whether or not vaccination should be mandatory but it is wholly united in its support for the vaccine and has done everything it can to persuade it’s residents and staff to have it.
‘Should the vaccine be mandatory for adult social care staff it begs the question whether it should not be mandatory for the NHS too.’