Mandatory vaccine for all NHS staff will 'deplete a workforce that's already struggling'
The take up throughout the NHS in England is 93% of the first dose and 90% of two doses
Last updated 10th Nov 2021
The decision to make the covid vaccine mandatory for all NHS staff has been met with backlash from nurses.
Vaccines will be mandatory for NHS workers in England from 1 April.
Sajid Javid, the Health secretary said the take up throughout the NHS in England is 93% of the first dose and 90% of two doses, and "that does leave around 103,000 people in the NHS who are yet unvaccinated."
However, he admitted it's hard to know how many of that number will take up the vaccination ahead of April 2022.
He said:
"More than that, we will continue to support and encourage those yet to get the vaccine to do so.
"No one in the NHS or care that is currently unvaccinated should be scapegoated, singled out, or shamed.
"That would be totally unacceptable.
"This is about supporting them to make a positive choice to protect vulnerable people, to protect their colleagues, and to protect themselves."
One-to-one conversations will be held with unvaccinated staff in the NHS, in a bid to make it "as easy as possible" to get the vaccine.
Stephanie Aiken, Operational Manager for the Royal College of Nursing in Yorkshire and the Humber said:
"Trying to force people to have it, our concern is, it will actually marginalise those who are vaccine hesitant, and it may actually lead to them leaving the NHS, and that puts further pressure on those who remain.
"I do not believe that mandating the covid vaccine for that small percentage of staff who are vaccine hesitant, is the right way to go.
"The unintended consequence it will have, will be to deplete a workforce that is already struggling to meet the needs of the service."
There are also concerns that making covid jabs mandatory for all NHS staff could have implications on student nurses.
They currently have to spend 50% of their time on clinical placements to become registered nurses.
Stephanie continued:
"We would expect the universities to work with councillor deans of health, to understand what the implications are for the students, to look and work with students who are vaccine hesitant.
"We really can't afford to lose student nurses, this is our future workforce, that we need to support, to enable them to become registered nurses of the future."