Care Home Suppliers MUST be Vaccinated ….
Earlier this year, the Government announced that all Care Home Workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The deadline for these regulations to come into place is Thursday 11th November 2021.
Additionally, the Government announced that all frontline NHS workers will also need to be fully vaccinated. The deadline for this new legislation to come into force will be in Spring 2022 to allow time for unvaccinated staff to get both jabs, which means NHS suppliers will also need to by fully vaccinated.
The impact of both these measures clearly affects the NHS and care sector, BUT – they also have a significant impact on the supply chain. From 11th November (and whenever the NHS ruling comes into force) visiting workers / professionals MUST also be vaccinated (or exempt) and show proof.
People working entirely outside premises / buildings are exempt, as are staff providing urgent maintenance or emergency assistance inside. Suppliers would be best advised to ensure that all staff working inside (even for short periods) MUST be able to show proof of vaccination or exemption.
The .GOV guidance (link below) specifically describes a delivery situation as an example:
“If, for example, a postal employee must enter the inside of the care home, as the package is too heavy or large for a staff member to lift, then they must show proof of vaccination or exemption.”
It is the responsibility of the supplier / service provider to show the correct proof of vaccination for their staff to work in care homes (and presumably NHS premises in due course) and it is our understanding that this requirement will be written into future supply contracts.
As always, Pennine HR strives to bring you the most up to date information and advice. Please contact us for further guidance on right to work checks and people management in general.
