Council bosses looking to find out why some Doncaster care home staff have not yet had a Covid-19 vaccine

This comes after a government announcement which said nurses and care workers must have a Covid-19 jab under a new law which is expected to come into force by the autumn.

A consultation was carried out in April and May which asked the opinions of thousands of staff, providers, residents and families.

Phil Holmes, director of adult social care at Doncaster Council, said the local authority are working closely with providers to find out why small sections of the workforce had not yet had the jab.

He also said they had to balance the impending law and the potential for staff to leave the profession.

A recent meeting within Civic Office heard that there are 3,500 social care staff within the borough and council figures show that 87 per cent have had at least one jab and 72 per cent have had both.

Front line care home staff were one of the first priority groups offered a vaccine when the mass roll-out of jabs started at the turn of 2021.

“These are really good figures but nationally, most of the concern around uptake has probably been in the south east of England and sometimes it tends to drive Government policy,” Mr Holmes said.

“Our uptake has been pretty good and we’re working with providers specifically where there is lower uptake.

“We’re working with those providers to try and understand the reasons for vaccine hesitancy and picking up whether it’s a convenience angle or another reason as to why staff don’t want to take it up.

“We are working in the context of the coming direction that vaccination in care homes must be compulsory and trying to drive a position to support care homes to understand that but manage the risks of some people choosing to leave the sector.

“Obviously we’re pro-vaccination and promoting a positive message to change hearts and minds to those in the health and social care sector who are struggling with that.”

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