NHS vaccines: Sajid Javid confirms mandatory vaccinations for health and social care staff are to be scrapped

Sajid Javid has confirmed that workers in the health and social care industry will no longer be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to remain employed.

The Health Secretary made the announcement in the House of Commons on 31 January, stating that the decision comes after consultation with employees and employers.

The move comes as Delta was replaced by the less severe Omicron variant as the UK’s most dominant strain, wth Mr Javid saying that the requirement was “no longer proportionate” as a condition of deployment through law.

Javid ‘makes no apology’ for initial policy

Speaking to MPs, Mr Javid confirmed the U-turn.

He said: “Subject to the responses and the will of this house, the Government will revoke the regulations.

“I have always been clear that our rules must remain proportionate and balanced, and of course, should we see another dramatic change in the virus, it would be only responsible to review this policy again.”

The Health Secretary told MPs in the House of Commons that, despite U-turning on mandatory NHS vaccinations, he “makes no apology” for implementing the policy in the first place.

Mr Javid said: “In December I argued, and this House overwhelmingly agreed, that the weight of clinical evidence in favour of vaccination as a condition of deployment outweighed the risks to the workforce.

“It was the right policy at the time, supported by the clinical evidence, and the Government makes no apology for it. It has also proven to be the right policy in retrospect, given the severity of Delta.

“Given that Delta has been replaced, it’s only right that our policy on vaccination as a condition of deployment is reviewed. So I asked for fresh advice including from the UK Health Security Agency and England’s chief medical officer.”

The Health Secretary detailed that both the dominance of the less severe Omicron and the booster and immunity rates throughout the general population has guided the decision to scrap the policy, which was due to be implemented from April.

He continued: “Given these dramatic changes, it is not only right but responsible to revisit the balance of risks and opportunities that guided our original decision last year.

“While vaccination remains our very best line of defence against Covid-19, I believe that it is no longer proportionate to require vaccination as a condition of deployment through statute.

“So I’m announcing that we will launch a consultation on ending vaccination as a condition of deployment in health and all social care sectors.”

Measures still in place despite vaccine U-turn

Mr Javid did say however that, although staff will no longer be expected to get vaccinated to continue employment, measures will be taken to help reduce the risk of the virus on the general public.

He confirmed that the NHS has been asked to review hiring and deployment policy, saying: “I have asked the NHS to review its policies on the hiring of new staff and the deployment of existing staff, taking into account their vaccination status.

The Health Secretary added: “I have written to professional regulators operating across health to ask them to urgently review current guidance to registrants on vaccinations, including Covid-19, to emphasise their professional responsibilities in this area.”

Mr Javid also stated that all Care Quality Commission registered providers of health and social care in England will be asked to follow a new update to the Health Department’s code of practice.

Providers ‘frustrated’ at last minute change to policy

While the news of compulsory vaccinations being welcomed by some NHS and social care providers, many have been left scrambling at the last-minute announcement.

Matthew Taylor and Chris Hopson, chief executives of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, described NHS leaders as “frustrated” as they has been racing to begin first doses by Thursday 3 February in order to meet the original fully vaccinated deadline of 1 April.

The Homecare Association voiced their approval of the reversal in policy, although they urged the Health Secretary for “immediate clarity” over the policy as the 3 February deadline for first doses edges ever closer.

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