Government mandates vaccines for care home workers
The government has introduced new rules mandating care home workers to either: have received two vaccinations, or prove they are clinically exempt. There are limited exceptions for emergencies, but essentially all day-to-day care workers will be covered by the new regulations.
When is it coming into force?
11th November 2021, with a review after one year.
What has changed?
Any person (including employees) entering a care home must prove they have either received a full course of vaccinations or are clinically exempt from receiving them. The responsibility for checking resides with the ‘Registered Person’, at the care home.
Who is included?
There has been careful consideration to exclude residents, alongside their friends and relatives, from the changes. Under 18s are also exempt.
For employees there are limited exceptions. Any person providing emergency assistance will not have to comply with the new rules. Emergency workers (police, fire etc) have a wider exemption in performing their duties. Maintenance personnel are also excluded, although this is limited to situations of urgency. Notably, the surrounding grounds of the care home are not included in the definition of ‘premises’, so outdoor workers should not be affected.
All remaining persons, most markedly the care workers, will be included in the restrictions.