Guidance on Vaccine Requirement in Care Homes

1. Guidance on Vaccine Requirement in Care Homes

2. Following new government legislation, the deadline for care staff to receive their first Covid vaccine was September 16th in order to be fully vaccinated by November 11th. Unless medically exempt (including temporary exemptions), anyone working in a care home will be under a legal requirement to have both doses of the vaccination. Continuing to employ someone who violates the requirement is likely illegal. The law comes into effect on November 11, 2021. By then, unless they are medically exempt, all people within the scope of the regulations will be required to be fully vaccinated in order to work in a care home. The deployment will be conditional on having a vaccine for the care homes: Based in England Registered with the CQC Where residents require nursing or personal care

3. The guidance states that anyone who needs to enter the building to work in a care home that meets the definition above will need to take the vaccine unless they have an exemption. The following must take the vaccine as a condition of deployment in an affected care home: Workers directly employed by the care home or care home provider Either full time or part time Those who are employed by an agency and deployed by the care home Volunteers deployed in care home What should affected employers be doing now? Care home employers may have already begun collecting evidence that their employees had one or both doses of the vaccine. It is unclear yet whether further evidence will be required, via digital and non-digital methods, if the employee has already provided evidence by showing their vaccine card. Employers should be prepared for having to accommodate a separate checking system.

4. Make sure your employees are informed about the Government's confirmed plans to require them to have the vaccine and the potential outcomes if they do not have it by the deadline and are not medically exempt. Reinforce any exercise you have done to raise awareness of the benefits of the vaccine. Remind employees of the company's current policy on permitting time off work for vaccine appointments and if you do not already, consider offering paid time off for the appointment if you are experiencing some hesitancy.

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