Mandatory vaccination as a condition of deployment, will be extending to all other sectors in the Health & Social Services sector including NHS (not only nursing homes) as of 1 April 2022.
Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD) for Healthcare Workers
On 6 January 2022, the Minister for Health & Social Care signed the Regulations that introduce this legal requirement. This is the final stage of the process to bring the Regulations into law. It initiates a 12-week ‘grace period’ to allow staff who are, as yet, unvaccinated time to get two doses of the vaccination before the deadline. At this time, being ‘fully vaccinated’ against COVID-19 is required (which for Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna, is currently equivalent to two doses). While it could change in future, at present flu vaccinations or third, booster vaccination, doses are not required.
Key dates for VCOD:
6 January 2022 – Regulations made. Start of the 12-week grace period.
3 February 2022– staff wanting to be fully vaccinated before the deadline will need to have their first vaccination by this date (there is currently an 8-week period required between the first and second vaccination doses).
1 April 2022 – all staff in scope must be fully vaccinated or have secured a medical exemption.
Who does VCOD apply to?
The requirement to be vaccinated will apply to all those that are deployed to undertake a CQC-regulated activity.
This includes any staff or volunteers who have direct face-to-face contact with people receiving care. For example, those people delivering services in hospitals, GP practices, dental practices and also those delivering CQC regulated activities as part of a social care service in a person’s home.
It would mean only those workers and volunteers who are fully vaccinated (or those with a medical exemption) could be deployed to deliver those services.
What happens if staff can’t have the vaccine for medical reasons?
There will be a small number of health and social care workers where the clinical advice is that the COVID-19 vaccination is not suitable for them. In such cases they will be able to apply for proof of their medical exemption status to ensure they comply with the regulations.
Information about the formal exemption process can be found here: COVID-19 medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
