The government has announced it will undertake a consultation with the intention of ending the policy requiring NHS staff to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Those covered by the legislation were required to have their first dose by Thursday. We were expected to hold meetings with staff who declined to be vaccinated where their contract of employment was likely to have been terminated. NHS England has written to all trusts to tell them not to serve notices of termination on any employees. 

We have devoted a significant amount of time to encouraging colleagues to get their Covid-19 vaccine and I want to thank everyone who has supported this work, especially our trade union colleagues. We will continue to encourage staff to have the vaccine, despite the fact it will no longer be a legal requirement for healthcare workers to be jabbed. The vaccine is safe and effective; it saves lives; and it protects staff, patients and the communities in which we live.

We have increased our vaccination rate significantly over the past few months. Nine out every ten of our frontline colleagues – who were covered by the legislation - have been vaccinated. Our number of patient facing staff who are recorded as yet to have the vaccine has fallen from 1,300 to 441. And in midwifery, where we were concerned about the service after April 1, the number of midwives who have yet to be vaccinated has been cut from 70 to 29. 

The protest last month outside Queen’s Hospital by some of our staff showed the strength of feeling that existed among those opposed to the government’s intention to introduce mandatory vaccines. We also know there are other colleagues who believe that all NHS employees should be vaccinated.

I am grateful that during recent weeks, which have been difficult for many people, we have avoided the issue becoming a source of conflict and we have ensured that everyone has been treated with compassion and respect.

Best wishes.

Matthew Trainer 

Chief Executive

 

*Figures updated Tuesday 2 February.