Mandatory Covid vaccination of NHS staff will fuel shortages in the East
The trade union, Unison say the decision will "do more harm than good" for the NHS
Covid vaccinations being mandatory for NHS workers means hospitals in East Anglia will struggle to retain and recruit staff.
That's according to Sasha Savage, Unison's head of health for the East.
The government introduced the measure last week along with a raft of other actions designed to curb the virus’s spread.
The policy has proven controversial with several medical bodies, who have warned that while they urge health workers to take the jab to ensure the safety of themselves and patients, making it compulsory could risk an exodus among staff members who refuse to do so.
Sarah Savage told us the conversations she'd had with doctors and nurses in East Anglia are concerning: "I'm hearing people saying I've had enough and I can't bare this any longer. I want to be a public servant and to do my best, but the toll this is having on me personally and my family is just too much."
She says this decision wasn't necessary and will only add fuel to an already serious problem: "They see jobs out there in the private sector where they can earn the same if not more, for a much less stressful job and I can't blame any of them for making the decision to leave. This is another decision that is driving more people out of the NHS.
"Most of the staff have had the vaccination and don't have a problem with it. But they do see that those who haven't been able to make that choice yet or are unable to, for whatever reason, are feeling put in a corner now. We've said all along that gentle persuasion was going to be the way to get people to take the vaccine.
"It's important for people to get the vaccination and we've been trying to work with local employers to help them get that message to staff. I think the Government have been doing sledgehammer to break a nut. People have found this quite upsetting and they've felt blamed and at the wrong end of this, when a lot of them simply didn't understand the importance of getting their vaccines or were anxious about it".
A survey by the British Dental Association has shown that more than 30% of dentists believe dental nurses at their practices will leave as a result of the mandate, with 14% of dentists saying they themselves were likely or extremely likely to quit.
The rule will not come into effect until April 1st 2022.