Care leaders urge government to delay mandatory vaccine or risk care homes closing

As the vaccine deadline for care home workers in England comes into force from midnight tonight meaning those who have not been vaccinated will lose their jobs, leaders from the sector are asking the government for a last-minute “hiatus” and warn some care homes may have to close if staff are “barred” from their jobs.

The government estimates there are still 32,000 care home workers who are not fully vaccinated and unless they have a medical exemption they will not be able to work in the sector until they are double vaccinated.

This rule which comes into force tomorrow, 11 November, also applies to anyone entering a care home for work including agency workers and tradespeople. The government says the compulsory vaccination policy is needed to protect care home residents.

Speaking on Sky News this morning, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “I don’t want to see anyone have to leave, but if by leaving, our care homes are safer for the people being cared for, I think that is absolutely the right decision.”

But leaders from the sector are worried some services in the sector will not “survive” and warn that a high proportion of care homes will “lose staff” and become a situation where there will be “no care.”

'Mandating the jab is just pouring petrol on an already burning fire and fanning the flames’

Jeremy Richardson, the chief executive of Four Seasons Health Care, believes staffing shortages is a greater risk to residents than Covid-19 after the company has had to turn down "60 new residents" in the last two weeks and warns mandating the jab is pouring the petrol on an already “burning fire and fanning the flames.”

He said: “The risk Covid-19 presents to residents is now dramatically lower than not having enough staff to care for them. The facts have changed, so the policy should change.

"We need to look at the risks presented in context, and with proportionality. The greater risk is a lack of people being able to care for residents. We have had to turn down 60 new residents in the last two weeks. People are blocking beds in hospitals because we don’t have enough people to care for them safely.

“Why is the NHS at capacity? It’s because beds are blocked, because they can’t discharge anyone, and the reason for that is because there are not enough staff in social care currently to meet the demand.”

Adam Purnell, director of social care at the Institute of Health and Social Care Management has warned that a high proportion of care homes are going to be “losing staff” on Thursday and hopes the government listens to the “concerns of the sector” and puts a “hiatus” on tomorrows mandate.

He said: "It’s my hope that Mr Javid et al will listen to the concerns of the sector. No one would think any less of the government for doing so.

"Pushing the mandate to April will show they are listening to the sector and are doing what they can to protect everybody involved. It will provide more time for the government to support and inform employers better on how to go around terminating employment for those unwilling to have the vaccine."

Earlier this month, the government launched an adult social care recruitment campaign in a bid to fill the hole in the workforce caused by the pandemic, Brexit and mandatory vaccinations for care workers.

The government said more than 105,000 vacancies need to be filled currently and almost half-a-million extra job opportunities in adult social care are expected by 2035.

Mr Purnell added: "Postponing will also allow the newly announced recruitment campaign to be effective.

"It’s never too early for a Christmas miracle."

'Some homes may have to close if care staff are barred from their jobs'

Joyce Pinfield, vice-chair of the National Care Association told BBC news: “With the mandatory vaccinations and the pressures that we have been put under, throughout the pandemic, more staff are leaving the sector.

"We are trying to bring new workers into the sector but this is not working. And now if we are going to lose 32,000 it’s almost becoming situation where there will be no care.” UNISON fears some care homes could be forced to shut their doors and others will struggle to meet safe staffing levels to provide satisfactory care.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Care have employers warned of the dire consequences of a draconian approach. The staffing crisis will become a catastrophe for a sector already on its knees.

“Some homes may have to close if care staff are barred from their jobs. The upheaval and distress caused to many elderly residents and their families would be disastrous.

“Forcing the vaccine on care staff is an own goal by the government. Take-up rates will only increase with persuasion, not punishment.”

’We are delighted all of our staff have been double vaccinated’

However, Dr Hilary Jones warns that if you don't make care homes as safe as you possibly can then there is a risk of a very large number of people dying from Covid.

Speaking on GMB this morning, he said: "We know vaccination is the best way to mitigate the risk of Covid 19.

"It protects individuals and the people around them from a very transmissible, very virulent virus which killed a large number of elderly people during the pandemic. And we want to curtail that now.

"We want to stop that from happening again and if that means mandatory vaccination for care home staff and NHS workers, then we may have to bite that bullet."

Longridge Hall also believes it is important that all “staff are vaccinated” to protect residents, their families and “ourselves.”

The care home has been issued with an award for achieving its 100 per cent staff vaccination rate by the director of Public Health and the executive director of Adult Services and Health & Wellbeing for Lancashire County Council.

Tracey Hartley, manager of the home said: “We are delighted that all of our dedicated and caring staff have been double vaccinated, all ahead of the government’s deadline.

“Everyone who has received their second jab has also been booked in for their six-month booster.”

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