95% of care homes in England have had all residents vaccinated, reveals NCF poll

Some 95 per cent of care homes in England have been able to get all their residents vaccinated, according to a poll by the National Care Forum (NCF).

In total 749 care homes run by 48 care providers in England were asked by the NCF about the availability and take up of COVID-19 vaccination by residents and staff in care homes for older people on 25-26 January.

Resident vaccinations are ‘brilliant achievement’

While resident vaccination had reached 95 per cent of care homes (715 care homes), the NCF poll revealed that most care homes said only half of their staff have been vaccinated.

Only 27 per cent of care homes reported vaccination of over 70 per cent of their staff.

Vic Rayner, executive director at the NCF, which represents over 130 UK social care organisations, said: “The incredible drive by community health colleagues and care homes working together in partnership has resulted in nearly 100% of all homes within this survey being visited by a roving vaccination team. This is a brilliant achievement.

Staff vaccination is proving to be 'harder'

“However, the prioritisation of staff vaccination does not appear to have been followed through with the same level of effectiveness.

“We need to learn quickly from the reasons why organisations are stating that staff have not been vaccinated and wherever possible remove the barriers at a local and national level."

Some care homes have reported that vaccination teams have entered care homes without enough vaccine for staff as well as residents. Staff also told bosses they were unable to have the vaccine for medical reasons.

Care homes reported:

- Staff were unavailable when whole home vaccination was taking place due to shift patterns.

- Staff were unable to have the vaccine due to medical reasons.

- Staff were unable to get alternative local appointment for vaccination.

- A lack of supply of vaccine for staff – vaccinating teams not having enough vaccine supply for staff in addition to residents.

- A need to wait for 28 days if tested positive with COVID-19.

Vic Rayner added: “We need to eliminate the practices highlighted by members where staff have been unable to get vaccination appointments at local settings, or when vaccination teams come into a home and do not have sufficient vaccine to cover staff as well as residents.

“We must also make sure that any staff who express concerns about vaccination have the full opportunity to have all their questions answered, and then with their agreement be rapidly incorporated at the front of the queue in local vaccination centres.

“In many ways staff vaccination is proving to be the harder part of the equation, yet we know that it is critical for the safety of staff and to support the huge pressure on staffing caused by absence."

Care home staff run the ‘risk of being lost in the rush’

Highlighting that NHS England's target to vaccinate all residents and staff by the 24 January has been missed, Vic Rayner said: "The clock is now ticking on the stated government objective of getting all those in groups 1 to 4 vaccinated by the 15th February.

“The experience of care home staff to date would suggest there is much work to be done to make this a reality, particularly when going forward, almost all vaccinations will take place in the community and care home staff who should be vaccinated first, run the very real risk of being lost in the rush.”