Almost three quarters of care providers want mandatory Covid vaccination for new staff

A poll of 194 care providers reveals 73 per cent would like to make Covid vaccination a condition of employment for new staff members.

The survey conducted on 23 February at law firm Royds Withy King’s employment law webinar for care providers, revealed that condition includes exceptions for staff who cannot have the vaccine on medical or other protected grounds.

While the majority (53 per cent) of care providers have over 80 per cent of their staff vaccinated, a fifth (20 per cent) said more than 40 per cent of their workforce was unvaccinated.

The poll revealed that, in the vast majority of cases, this was due to staff being either unwilling or unable to have the jab.

James Sage, employment partner and head of social care at Royds Withy King, said: “Many providers have made good progress getting staff vaccinated through encouragement rather than enforcement. However, some providers reported very low staff uptake rates.

“The current figures, and the legal risks of forcing existing staff to have the vaccine, explain why increasing numbers of providers are considering making vaccinations mandatory for new staff".

JCVI deputy tells MPs one third of care home staff have refused vaccine

James Sage of Royds Withy King, said: "Of those polled, 73 per cent said that they would want to adopt this approach whilst making exceptions for those who can’t have the vaccine for protected reasons under the Equality Act, such as pregnancy, disability or religion”.

The deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has told MPs that one in three care home workers have turned down the Covid vaccine.

Professor Anthony Harnden said that while over 90 per cent of doctors and 80 per cent of nurses have taken the vaccine, “we do have a problem in terms of vaccine coverage” amongst care home staff, where only 66 per cent have taken the jab.

This is despite all care home staff being offered a vaccine by 15 February.

Care sector recruitment ‘already incredibly challenging’

Some 78 per cent of care providers responding to the law firm's poll, said that up to 10 per cent of unvaccinated staff wanted the vaccine but had not been able to access it.

The survey also revealed 59 per cent of care providers said they do not have enough staff and a further 11 per cent said they have significant staffing gaps.

Mr Sage added: “These figures indicate how keen care providers are to protect the health and safety of their clients and workforce by ensuring that as many people as possible get vaccinated.

“In practice, fewer numbers are likely to move ahead with it now because of the risk it might hinder recruitment which is already incredibly challenging”.