Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations are not required for Care Home Workers
Mandatory vaccinations became a requirement to work in a care home from 11th November 2021. This was due to be extended to all patient-facing staff in the health and social care sector on 1 April 2022.
On 31st January 2022, the Government announced that a public consultation would be launched on whether to revoke mandatory vaccinations. The consultation response was published on 1 March 2022. As a result of the consultation, regulations came into force on 15 March 2022 revoking the requirement for vaccination as a condition of deployment in health and social care settings.
Care home staff will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter care homes. While this is good news for the health and social care sector, there is still a possibility that mandatory vaccinations may be re-introduced in the future.
What to do next?
Care homes and those who were due to be affected in the health and social care sector from 1 April 2022 will now need to:
1. Review and update policies.
It is important for all employers to be aware that they have a duty to protect the health and safety of employees. As a result, employers are urged to carry out risk assessments and it is still likely that those providing health and social care will have a policy that recommends vaccination.
2. Update contracts that had been changed to refer to mandatory vaccination
3. Consider any cases of employees who are on notice or have been dismissed due to not being vaccinated. Employers should review these decisions against the change in regulation and their updated policies.
4. Keep health and safety risk assessments under review.
5. Discuss with their employees that there is no longer a requirement for their continued employment.
