Covid in Scotland: 'No plans' to make jabs compulsory for care home staff

Public Health Scotland figures show that 100% of care home staff in Scotland have been vaccinated with both doses

The Scottish government has said it is not planning to make the vaccination of care home workers compulsory.

The measure could be brought in for staff in care homes for older people in England, the BBC has been told.

Care staff there are expected to be given 16 weeks to have the jab - or face being redeployed away from frontline care or losing their jobs.

But Scottish Business Minister Ivan McKee said there were "no plans" to implement a similar policy in Scotland.

Scottish Care said UK government plans to mandate vaccinations had "little relevance" in Scotland as all staff had received both doses.

Public Health Scotland figures show 100% coverage for care home workers on first and second doses of the Covid vaccine, based on an estimate of 50,000 care home workers.

The latest figures show that 53,952 workers had received at least their first dose of a vaccine.

The estimate has been exceeded because of the high level of turnover among care home staff, meaning new workers are constantly being recruited, according to Scottish Care, which represents the independent care sector.

A report by the organisation in 2019 estimated that, on average, almost a quarter of staff left their employer within a year.

Asked on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme if Scotland would follow England in making care home worker vaccines compulsory, Mr McKee said: "Our clinicians will look at [the] measures taken down south and consider that, but at the moment we don't have any plans to do that."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government added: "The response from care home staff in Scotland to the call to take up their vaccinations has been fantastic.

"We currently have no plans to make vaccinations mandatory for health and social care staff as it's clear that these caring staff in Scotland are overwhelmingly making the choice to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their residents."

'Targeted efforts'

Care organisations in England have warned that compulsory vaccinations could cause significant difficulties in a sector that already struggles to recruit enough people.

Scottish Care said the Scottish approach had been one of "close partnership" between the sector, the NHS and the Scottish government.

A spokeswoman added in a statement: "We have sought to develop a policy and practice of information and encouragement, rather than mandating and instructing.

"In large part, this has been a successful approach to date. As of 15 June, the vaccination dashboard from PHS details that 100% of care home staff have received both doses.

"Obviously, statistically, this does not mean all staff have now been vaccinated because there is a continual flow of new staff and there may be some homes with less than 100% compliance.

"But even then, we have clear measures now in place to ensure new starts are offered the vaccine and where there are gaps that there are targeted efforts to increase uptake."

Do you work in a care home and have a view on whether staff should be required to have the Covid vaccine? Are you a worker in the wider health sector and want to offer your opinion on this subject?

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