After loss of 20,000 home care workers, bosses welcome 'no jab no job' U-turn

Almost 20,000 home care workers have left their jobs since September when the government first announced its 'no jab no job' policy but its decision to scrap it from 15 March, has been welcomed by care bosses.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed its Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD) policy (originally due to come into force on 1 April for home care workers and the NHS in England) will be revoked effective from 15 March, after consultation with the NHS and care sector.

No jab no job U-turn ‘preventing further care workers leaving’

While the regulations had already come into force for care home workers last November, a vaccine mandate had not come into force for home care workers. With many home care bosses reporting they have lost staff since September, the U-turn was welcomed.

“We are very pleased the government is reversing the VCOD regulations and therefore preventing further care workers from leaving the workforce”, said Dr Jane Townson, the chief executive of the Homecare Association, which has a membership of over 2,340 home care providers in the UK.

“We have always strongly supported vaccination against COVID-19, as it helps protect the recipient from severe illness and death. However, we believe persuasion is more effective and proportionate than compulsion, in encouraging uptake amongst the remaining workers with a genuine fear about vaccination.

“We also need to balance the mitigated risk of infection with the very real risk of even more older and disabled people going without care due to workforce shortages.”

Domiciliary care bosses have reported that 89 per cent of home care staff had received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, as of 13 February 2022.

90% of consultation respondents backed U-turn

Some 90 per cent of respondents to the DHSC’s consultation supported revoking the no jab no job requirement with only nine per cent opposing the proposal.

The DHSC stated in its consultation response document (published 1 March): ‘The consultation responses showed clearly the strength of feeling about the policy, both through the large number of total responses received and the clear preferences indicated.’

The Department added that scrapping the policy provides home care workers and NHS workers ‘with assurance of retention of employment, benefitting both them and the people they care for due to reduced service disruption and greater continuity of care’.

Dr Townson added: “Thank you to all our provider members who replied to the consultation.

“We continue to call on the government to listen to and act on evidence provided by experts, including those receiving care and those working in the sector, on all areas of social care policy, so we can work together to deliver the aspiration to put people at the heart of care.”