Mandatory vaccine rule has led to over half of care homes spending money on legal advice

Care homes have been “absorbed” in disciplinary proceedings rather than “recruitment and the well-being of existing staff” due to the government’s handling of the mandatory vaccination policy, according to a care leader.

A snapshot survey carried out by the National Care Forum (NCF) between 2-8 November revealed 40 per cent of care home providers were managing appeals relating to the new law, while 58 per cent are running disciplinary hearings.

The NCF estimates its members will have lost around eight per cent of staff by 11 November. On average 3.5 per cent of care staff have already resigned or been dismissed, with the NCF estimating a further 4.4 per cent may have to leave this week.

Vic Rayner, chief executive of the NCF said: “Our survey shows the true cost of implementing this policy has been very high. It has absorbed a huge amount of time and energy of staff, which could have been better devoted to recruitment and the well-being of existing staff; it has instead had to focus on working through dismissal procedures.

“Since the introduction of this policy, we have been vocal about the unnecessary high cost – in terms of human costs, financial costs and the loss in trust and goodwill amongst care staff and their employers as a direct result of this policy.”

’Care homes have been the unwitting guinea pigs’

From 11 November, all care home staff working in registered care homes in England must have had both jabs to continue in their role.

There are around 50,000 care home staff who have not had two doses in England and unless they have a medical exemption they will not be able to work in the sector until they have had both vaccinations.

“Care homes have been the unwitting guinea pigs through the implementation of this policy, and the impact on people must not be swept under the carpet,” says Ms Rayner. “It is vital that the government learns from this experience and makes changes for the wider roll out of this policy."

On top of internal pressures and costs, time was also a big factor with 91 per cent of respondents saying they had required additional HR time, 93 per cent had to run additional one-to-one sessions for staff to talk them through the policy and its implications and 74 per cent providing whole team briefings for their workforce.

The NCF say the national roll out of the policy has been chaotic. Respondents have been critical, stating that their experience on the ground is one of a policy ‘badly thought through’ and that the timing of the policy is ‘out of touch’ with the enormous pressures experienced by the care workforce.

‘It’s been a shambles. Much rests on the medical exemption process and this was late, unclear, poorly written and lacking in ‘way points’ to allow us to manage staff through this process.’

Ms Rayner added: “As we face a very difficult winter ahead, lessons must be learnt in how not to introduce a policy that has long term consequences on the very people we need to deliver the care and support many people and communities rely on.“