The head of two London NHS hospitals recently announced that over 1,000 staff members could lose their job if they continue to refuse to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in accordance with the latest regulations.
Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust CEO Matthew Trainer said 17.4% of its 7,550 staff were still unvaccinated. All of them are urged to receive a first dose of the vaccine by the 3rd of February in order to be “fully vaccinated” by the 31st of March.
Mr Trainer warned that two hospitals (King George in Ilford and Queen’s in Romford) may lose up to 1,300 staff when the new rule will come into force.
The departments with the least vaccinated staff are currently maternity services, children’s health, and clinical support. Losing a large group of unvaccinated staff would put additional strain on several hospitals, which are already facing a need for extra beds.
In a letter to hospital staff members, Mr Trainer encouraged workers to get the jab “in order to reduce their risk of hospitalisation and lower the chance of passing Covid on to others.”
„If redeployment is not possible, then based on the latest advice we have received your contract of employment is likely to be terminated on 31st of March (…) „I am very sad to have to write to fellow NHS colleagues in this manner,” he explained.
In turn, King’s College Hospital chief Dr Clive Kay argued that his job was “to encourage workers to get jabbed”. However, 10 per cent of his 14,000 workers are still unvaccinated.
„We must treat them with kindness, with compassion, we must give them every single opportunity to talk through if they don’t want the vaccine… but ultimately it is their choice,” Dr Kay told the BBC.
Government cabinet member Nadhim Zahawi also defended the policy as „the right thing to do”.
However, the debate surrounding compulsory vaccination seems far from over. Consultant Anaesthetist Steve James recently went viral online after confronting Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid at a Hospital saying he didn’t support the mandatory vaccine program for NHS staff.
https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1479532922952732672?s=20
“I’ve had Covid at some point. I’ve got antibodies. I’ve been working on Covid ICU since the beginning. I have not had a vaccination, I do not want to have a vaccination. The vaccines are reducing transmission only for about eight weeks for Delta; with Omicron it’s probably less. And, for that, I would be dismissed if I don’t have a vaccine. The science isn’t strong enough” – Dr James argued.
He added that many doctors have antibody protection despite having taken any vaccinate. He explained that the protection from transmission he has is “equivalent” to someone who is vaccinated.
Dr James later assured that he was ready to lose his job rather than comply with the mandatory vaccination.
Author: Sebastien Meuwissen
Cover photo: Unsplash
