Will the Care Home vaccination mandate push staff out of the care sector?

Time is running out for care home workers to be vaccinated against Covid.

From 11th November, the government has made it mandatory that everyone working in a care home will have to be vaccinated to continue their work unless they have a valid exemption.

With thousands of vacancies in the health and social care sector already, we are asking what impact will this change have on the sector from which is already struggling after Brexit resulted in carers leaving the UK and returning to the EU and with the ongoing impact of Covid 19. Will people in care homes still be able to receive the care they need? Will care homes be forced to close? Where will care home workers go if they lose their jobs?

Paragon Home Healthcare provides care into people’s own homes rather than in a care home. This current government ruling does not extend to care workers who work in domiciliary or home care at the moment so care workers working in home care are not required or mandated to get the vaccination at present. This means carers employed by us are not mandated or required to have the Covid vaccination.

With the future of the health and social care workforce so under pressure, we are calling for the government to stop this vaccination mandate from going ahead for Care homes and the NHS which is planned in 2022 and to create a practical visa solution for EU workers who wish to come to the UK to work in the care sector again.

We worry for the state of the health and care system and urge the government to make changes to prevent these vital care workers losing their jobs and people needing care suffering the effects of this. We need to act now.