Sheffield care home chief fears mandatory vaccination will lead to shortage of workers

The boss of Sheffcare, a charity which runs a chain of ten care homes across Sheffield, says Government plans for mandatory vaccination for staff will impact staffing levels and should be up to the individual.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that vaccinations would be compulsory to care home staff, calling it a ‘safe and reasonable’ step.

He also said he was considering making the jab compulsory for all NHS staff.

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All care home staff will have up to 16 weeks to get both doses of the vaccine from the time the new rules are approved by Parliament.

Sheffcare Chief Executive Claire RintoulSheffcare Chief Executive Claire Rintoul
Sheffcare Chief Executive Claire Rintoul

Any staff who fail to get the jab could lose their job, or be moved away from positions in front-line health care

Sheffcare Chief Executive Claire Rintoul said: “Sheffcare takes the health and safety of both its residents and staff extremely seriously at all times and has taken a positive approach to staff Covid-19 vaccination, encouraging members of the team to take full advantage of the vaccination programme.

“We have been delighted by the way that the teams at all our homes have responded and take up of the vaccine has been high.

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“While understanding the government’s concerns, Sheffcare believes that vaccination should be a matter for the individual.

“Making it an issue of law would almost certainly have a negative impact on staffing levels, which is something that Sheffcare and the care industry as a whole would want to avoid.”

Sheffield is the local authority in South Yorkshire with the lowest proportion of eligible care home workers vaccinated.

In Sheffield, 3,687 of the 4,431 eligible workers have received their first dose. That is 83.2%.