Covid-19 compulsory jabs for NI health staff to be considered

Covid-19 jabs will be compulsory for NHS staff in England

There is to be a public consultation around introducing mandatory Covid-19 vaccines in Northern Ireland.

The compulsory scheme could involve all new recruits to health and social care and anyone who moves job within the health system.

Agency workers could also be included.

On Tuesday it was announced NHS staff in England will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with a deadline expected to be set for April next year.

Covid vaccines were made compulsory for care home staff in England in June.

Health Minister Robin Swann said introducing such measures in Northern Ireland would be a significant development that should only be undertaken after careful consideration.

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The consultation will also cover mandatory flu vaccines.

"Vaccination is central to our efforts to support health and social care services during this extremely challenging winter and beyond," said the health minister.

"I remain convinced that persuasion is the best and most effective option when it comes to vaccination."

Mr Swann said there were compelling arguments that mandatory vaccination for existing health and social care staff in Northern Ireland could be counter-productive - potentially destabilising an already fragile workforce.

'Delicate balance'

"Against that, I also have great sympathy for those who only want their loved ones to be cared for by fully vaccinated staff," he added.

"All options remain under consideration. I will closely monitor the situation in England - including the impact of mandatory vaccination on staffing in its social care sector.

"There is no predetermined outcome. Trade unions, employees and employers will have a key role in this consultation but the views of the general public will also be very important."

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the issue was "very challenging".

"I think there is a very delicate balance to be struck, in the end the health minister must make the call on this and we will continue to engage with him on it.

"What we want to ensure is of course, first and foremost, the safety of those who use the health service but at the same time also to protect the rights of those who work within the health service, and these decisions are always difficult and challenging and we will work with the health minister to ensure that we get the right outcome for the health service of Northern Ireland."

'Human rights concern'

Earlier, Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said making vaccinations compulsory for front-line healthcare workers in Northern Ireland would raise human rights concerns.

Ms O'Neill has said she would consider such a proposal but that she was in favour of a voluntary approach.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said she did not believe Northern Ireland was at the point where such a policy was required.

She said she would prefer to see the executive move to make vaccine passports a requirement for entry to nightlife venues.

Northern Ireland's largest healthcare union said it remained in favour of voluntary vaccination.

Unison's Anne Speed said they appreciated that the health minister "was not blindly following other jurisdictions" and consulting before bringing in changes here.

"We do support vaccination, it's an important protection against the virus, and we have played our part in getting that messaging out to the health workforce - but it's a big step to insist that any human being take a vaccination that they have worries, concerns, objections to."