NHS England confirms dental workers must have first vaccine by February
NHS England has confirmed that unvaccinated dental workers will need to have their first vaccine by February to meet mandatory vaccine guidelines, which come into force in April 2022.
Under new guidelines, all NHS staff should be vaccinated by April. This means that dental workers who are not already vaccinated will need to ensure that they have the first dose by the 3rd February 2022.
Recent statistics from NHS England show that 90% of staff are fully jabbed, but in some areas, the figure is as low as 78%.
The decision to enforce mandatory Covid-19 vaccines for NHS staff comes after new rules were brought in for carers in November 2021. The government stated that the aim is to protect staff and patients and reduce the risk of transmission and severe disease.
Although uptake for vaccines has been high among healthcare professionals, who were prioritised for the first two vaccine doses and the booster scheme, there has been a mixed response to mandatory injections.
Some have criticised the move for preventing people from being able to make a choice and there are also widespread concerns about potential staffing shortages if health and dental workers choose not to have the vaccine.
Neel Kothari, a dentist from Cambridgeshire, is vaccinated himself, but worries that the new rules will lead to a decrease in staff numbers at a time when pressure on the NHS is at an all-time high.
There is already a “precarious recruitment crisis” and mandatory vaccination could “further jeopardise” the situation, Mr Kothari explained.
Some people he knows have already suggested that they will hand in their notice and he believes that people should have the right to decide whether or not they want to have the vaccine to avoid shortages that could result in “countless health-related deaths.”
For more news click here.
Join this Discussion