More than 100 staff at Dorset County Hospital not vaccinated

Across England, millions of people have been triple jabbed in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic – but tens of thousands of NHS staff are yet to have a first dose.

However, the government did a last minute U turn on its plan to make covid-19 vaccination mandatory for NHS staff meaning the staff are no longer at threat of losing their jobs or being removed from frontline roles.

• Read more: More than 18,000 appointments cancelled or postponed at DCH since start of 2020

NHS England data shows 97% of the 4,262 health care workers at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had received at least one vaccination by the end of December, meaning 115 were unvaccinated at that point.

The figures also show 4,073 workers had received two jabs – 96% of staff – and 3,600 had received a booster dose (84%).

In addition hundreds of workers at Dorset Healthcare are still not vaccinated against Covid-19, figures suggest.

A total of 97% of the 8,854 health care workers at Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust had received at least one vaccination by the end of December, meaning 307 were unvaccinated at that point.

The figures also show 8,422 workers had received two jabs – 95% of staff – and 7,312 had received a booster dose (83%).

• Read more: Almost half of DCH staff absences linked to Covid-19

The Government’s mandatory vaccination rules would have meant that NHS staff must have received a first jab by February 3 and be fully vaccinated by April 1 to continue working in frontline roles.

The Royal College of GPs and the Royal College of Nurses have encouraged the take-up of vaccinations among NHS workers.

Mandatory jabs could have had a significant impact on staff retention and put further pressure on the NHS while marginalising the vaccine hesitant, according to the RCN.

The NHS Confederation, which represents the whole healthcare system, said there were risks as well as benefits to a mandatory approach.

Chief executive Danny Mortimer said: “Most health leaders support the introduction of a mandate as it reflects the positive impact that vaccination will continue to have against coronavirus, but they would have preferred longer to implement the policy, particularly given the intensity of winter.

“While the majority of health and care workers have been vaccinated, even small reductions in staffing numbers can cause disruption.

• Read more: Two patients die with Covid-19 at Dorset County Hospital

 “No leader wants to see this given the high standards of care they wish to maintain, the significant vacancies that exist across the NHS already, and the care backlogs that have built up during the pandemic.”

Across England, 94% of healthcare workers had received at least one vaccination by December 31, meaning more than 85,000 were still unvaccinated at this point.
Nearly three-quarters of staff have received a booster jab nationally.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Health and social care workers look after the most vulnerable people in society, who could face serious health consequences if exposed to the virus.

“Ensuring staff are vaccinated is the right thing to do to protect patients and those in care.

“The vast majority of NHS staff have had the vaccine which is our best defence against Covid-19.”

The data is limited to health care workers who appear in the NHS electronic staff record who could be matched to the National Immunisation Management System – meaning some bank staff could be included in the figures.