New law on mandatory vaccination

The government has passed a new law compelling care homes to ensure almost all workers are vaccinated against Covid-19. An amendment to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 comes into force on 11 November 2021 and applies in England. All care home workers and other visiting professionals will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid, unless they have an exemption or there is an emergency.

This applies to all workers employed directly by the care home or care home provider, those employed by an agency and deployed by the care home, and volunteers deployed in the care home. Those coming into care homes to do other work, including healthcare workers, tradespeople, hairdressers and beauticians, and CQC care quality commission inspectors, will also have to follow the new rules.

The government will launch a public consultation “in due course” on whether or not to make Covid and flu vaccination a condition of deployment in health and care settings.

“This draconian approach will do more harm than good in a sector already short of thousands and thousands of care staff,” warned UNISON public services union head of business and community Donna Rowe-Merriman.