Covid: Two London hospitals could lose 1,000 staff over compulsory jabs

Chief executive Matthew Trainer warned staff had all kinds of different concerns around the vaccine 

The boss of two London NHS hospitals says they could lose more than 1,000 staff if they do not get vaccinated in line with new Covid-19 rules.

From April, front-line NHS staff in England will need to have the Covid jab - or will be moved to another role.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust CEO Matthew Trainer said 17.4% of its 7,550 staff were currently unvaccinated.

They must have had a first dose by 3 February to be vaccinated by 31 March.

Mr Trainer warned the trust's two hospitals, King George in Ilford and Queen's in Romford, may lose up to 1,300 staff when the mandatory Covid vaccination rule comes into force.

He told the trust's board meeting on Tuesday the departments with the least vaccinated staff were maternity services, children's health and clinical support,

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Losing a large group of unvaccinated staff could put additional strain on the hospital, which is already facing a need for extra beds during winter, long-term staff shortages and 200 Covid in-patients, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In a letter to staff, published with the trust's board meeting papers, Mr Trainer asked workers to have the vaccine to reduce their risk of hospitalisation and lower the chance of passing Covid on to others.

"If redeployment is not possible, then based on the latest advice we have received your contract of employment is likely to be terminated on 31 March," he said.

"I am very sad to have to write to fellow NHS colleagues in this manner."

It follows similar concerns from the the boss of one of London's busiest hospitals.

King's College Hospital chief Dr Clive Kay said his job was to encourage workers to get jabbed - and 10% of his 14,000 staff were still unvaccinated.

"We must treat them with kindness, with compassion, we must give them every single opportunity to talk through if they don't want the vaccine... but ultimately it is their choice," Dr Kay told the BBC's Sophie Raworth on the Sunday Morning programme.

Government cabinet member Nadhim Zahawi then defended the policy as "the right thing" to do.