Matt Hancock, former Health Secretary, believes NHS workers should get the jab prior to winter.
The Daily Telegraph’s Mr Hancock warns ministers to not delay obligatory jabs for physicians and nurses.
Two mandatory jabs for health workers are being scrapped by the Government. The controversial rule is not likely to become effective until April.
Hancock is the man responsible for making mandatory vaccines for caregivers.
Labour backbenchers have warned government about the dangers of adopting this policy too early.
On Thursday, all staff in care homes will be required to have vaccinations.
Hancock stated, “To my mind the logic of it is crystal clear.”
Medicine is founded upon science, and Covid’s vaccine has been thoroughly proven to be so.
“Mandating use of the most scientific research is not controversial. It’s just common sense.
“Some people say that it is not how we do things here in Britain.
“But, we already require vaccination against Hepatitis B by doctors.
“The British historical precedents for mandatory vaccination date back to 1850.”
Mr Hancock’s call comes as official figures showed a fifth of NHS staff in England are still not fully vaccinated against Covid at trusts lagging furthest behind in the rollout.
NHS England statistics reveal that there are more than 1,000 employees at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, out of the 6,000 workers who have yet to receive two doses (79.5%).
A former Health Secretary warned ministers not to delay mandatory jabs in the hospitals and for doctors. He also urged them make mandatory jabs compulsory for NHS staff prior to winter
Barts Health NHS Trust East London currently has 4,000 workers out of 24,000 who have yet to be fully jabbed. IThe number of frontline personnel who interacted with patients is unknown. It’s also unclear how many had been trained in medical terminology and how many worked in administrative roles.
Nationally, however, 89 percent of NHS workers in England have received both Covid and Covid vaccines.
Figures showed that more than 92% of nurses, doctors and administrators have received at least one dose. London saw the lowest uptake, with London being in the South West West and South East.
To provide extra protection in the face of a difficult period for NHS, ministers are considering making it mandatory for hospital staff to have double-jabs this winter. A flu jab might also be mandatory.
However, it seems that they are now moving on after unions warned them about the possibility of a tsunami of resignations. This is when hospitals will be most vulnerable to Covid and other respiratory illnesses like flu.
Instead, the Government plans to impose this requirement starting in April.
The ‘no jabs, no jobs’ policy in care homes has caused more damage than good. Figures suggest that some 60,000 workers will be laid off next week, putting at risk of homes becoming short-staffed. Sources claim that the policy had little impact on jab use.
Below is a map showing the 20 hospitals trusts that have the lowest staffing in England. Data is current as of September 30, 2018.
According to figures, around 100,000 NHS workers have not received at least one dose. This graph displays the percentage of people who received the first dose (blue lines) and percentages that got the second dose (orange lines).
NHS England releases monthly statistics on the number of staff who have received a Covid vaccine, as well as the percentage that were jabbed.
Up to September 30, the latest data, and next batch will not be published until next week.
Staff from the NHS were given priority in vaccine rollout and they have now been able get their first dose of vaccination since December 2013.
Rounding out top five worst trusts were North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, where 80.2 per cent had got two doses, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, at 80.3 per cent, and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, at 80.4 per cent.
The highest rate of uptake occurred in Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, where 94.8 percent of employees were double-vaccinated.
This was followed by the Dorset County Hospital NHS Trust (94.6%), Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 94.50%, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust 94.50% and Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (both 94.4%).
The figures showed that three-quarters of 20 hospitals and mental health trusts had low Covid vaccine coverage. All the rest were based in Midlands.
Experts believe vaccine hesitancy in London and the Midlands is greater because of larger populations from ethnic minorities who are less likely to be vaccinated.
Although no hospital trust has reached 100% uptake, this is to be expected as some staff might be exempted from the jabs due to medical reasons or because of a reaction to their first dose.
NHS England separate data, up to October 24th, the most recent available, show that 99% of NHS England doctors, nurses, and administrative personnel in the health care system have had two doses.
Initial doses were uptake as high as 92%.
By regionsLondon saw the least uptake with 16.5% of staff still not getting two doses. Midlands had 10.2%.
Compare this to the South West, which saw the greatest uptake, where 7.4 percent of workers had not yet received their second shot, while 5% still are waiting.
The South East has 7.7 percent of its employees still waiting for their second dose, while 5.2 percent have yet to receive their first dose.
NHS workers will not be fired if they do not get Covid vaccine this winter.
Since the winter began, officials in an attempt to save the NHS have deliberated for months about a ‘no job, no jab’ policy for NHS employees.
Ministers are already pushing ahead with controversial measures for caregivers, which require them to receive two doses starting November 11. This is in an effort to maintain their job.
Department of Health bosses told MailOnline ‘no final decision’ had been made, with Health Secretary Sajid Javid rumoured to still have reservations about the policy — despite publicly admitting that he was ‘leaning towards’ the mandate.
A Whitehall source close to negotiations said that the deal was “done” and would be officially unveiled today.
There is increasing pressure on Mr. Javid, who has been told by the Telegraph that the scheme will be implemented. The mandate of the flu jab is something that we wanted.
The NHS always resisted it. It is clear that staff will be more productive if there are more Covid users.
“There are arguments that this is one of best ways to reduce pressure on employees.”
Some critics of the decision have asked for the delay to April. This advice was taken by Mr Javid, who warned of a massive exodus from the sector. There are already 100,000 vacancies in the NHS — including more than 4,000 doctors and 18,000 nurses.
Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Helen Stokes-Lampard has spoken out against the plans to make compulsory jabs for this sector.
She said, “We don’t believe that making Covid vaccination mandatory for doctors in any way is necessary or proportionate.”
“So if we believe that the Department of Health has decided to push ahead with compulsory vaccination, then we’d be extremely cautious.
Below is a map showing the areas in which more than half of care home workers have not received two doses.
This graph displays the percentage of care home staff who received the first and second doses. The graph shows that the vaccine was not a popular choice when it became compulsory.
She said, “While we believe that doctors have a professional responsibility to administer the jab to patients, we also know that over 92% of those who have done it have not yet. So, we have to wonder why this heavy handed approach has been taken.”
The unions have already warned that Covid jabs could be mandatory in the social sector starting next week. They also threaten to shut down some homes.
According to figures, around 60,000 workers are not yet double-vaccinated. Homes in Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Westminster have the highest jab rates.
Sources from care have asked for the delay and stated that the mandatory jabs had only had a’very small’ effect on the uptake.
After a consultation, Matt Hancock, former Health Secretary, announced that they will seek this requirement in June. Health leaders stated that it was better to have staff express doubts about the jabs rather than having them made compulsory.