Pride for care home where all staff are double jabbed
A care home has told of its pride that all of its staff were among the first to get both jabs.
Kim Young, manager of Portway House care home in Oldbury, said they had a professional duty of care to protect those most at risk.
It comes as care home workers across England will be required to get both doses of the Covid-19 under new Government proposals.
Workers in Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered care homes will be required to have two doses of the vaccine by October, ministers have said.
But the proposal is subject to parliamentary approval and will also include a 16-week grace period to allow staff to have the jab before the rules are enforced.
All staff will be required to have the vaccine unless they have a medical exemption, with the decision coming after a consultation with those affected by it.
The Portway House boss said: “We know that older people living in our care homes are most at risk of suffering serious consequences of Covid-19 and we have seen the physical and emotional effects the virus has had on our residents during the last 18 months.
"Making vaccines a condition of deployment for our staff and suppliers is something that we know many care homes have called for in order to help them provide greater protection for staff and residents to save lives.
"We have a professional duty of care to those most vulnerable to Covid-19, so it is right we consider all options and opinions, and continue to support and educate existing and new staff members in relation to the vaccination.”
She added: “All of our staff were among the first care teams in the Midlands to have had both jabs. There was some reluctance by staff, primarily by those who were trying for a baby – but we did support and educate them about the vaccine and continue to do so.”
And Dr Pete Calveley, CEO of Barchester which has care homes in Dudley, Lichfield, Kidderminster, Stone and Much Wenlock, said: “We believe that we should all do whatever possible to protect the most vulnerable of society, therefore we welcome the Government’s proposal.”
