Care home leaders have called the news of a government U-turn on compulsory vaccines for frontline health workers a “slap in the face”.
All nursing home staff were to be fully vaccinated from November 2021.
Mike Padgham, chairman of the Independent Care Group, said: “This policy has caused a lot of staffing issues for care and nursing home owners and upset and grief for those who have lost their jobs – we need to know now if they can get their jobs back. .
“I think it illustrates the huge gap between NHS care and social care and how they are treated.
“We were deprived of thousands of staff in November when the policy came into effect for care and care home workers and no one lifted a finger.
“But when a similar threat is made against NHS staff, the policy is reversed.”
Mark Topps, director of the National Association of Care & Support Workers (Nacas), welcomed reports of a U-turn but said it was “shameful” that care homes had to spend time and money to disciplinary proceedings and potentially unjustified dismissals.
He said: “We have lost people with years of experience and skills that we will never find again and it is highly unlikely that these staff members will want to return to the social care sector after the way they have been. treated by the government.”
