Health Secretary Sajid Javid recently announced that all frontline NHS workers must receive two doses of the Covid vaccine by April or risk losing their jobs. Nearly 40,000 NHS workers in London have yet to be double jabbed, putting them at risk of dismissal if not vaccinated by the stipulated deadline. Barts Health Trust, overseeing five hospitals in London, faces significant impact due to having both the largest workforce and the lowest vaccination rate in the capital.
According to official NHS data, 83.2% of the 236,309 staff across 28 London health trusts have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine. This leaves 39,624 employees still requiring vaccination to meet the mandatory requirement. Barts Health Trust, with a workforce of 25,035, boasts the largest staff numbers in London and the second largest in the UK. Its vaccination rate stands at 79.8%, making it the worst in London and the second worst in the country.
Failure to achieve full vaccination by April could result in up to 5,054 staff being removed from their roles at Barts Health hospitals, potentially disrupting NHS services at these critical locations already experiencing mounting pressure. Additionally, other hospitals in the capital, such as Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust, as well as the East London Foundation Trust, are also facing challenges with staff vaccine rates.
Guy’s and St Thomas’s Trust, the third-largest NHS employer in London, may have to let go of 3,929 unvaccinated staff by April due to their 83.2% double-jab rate. While some trusts, like Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare Trust, King’s Hospital Trust, and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust, exhibit high vaccination rates, there is still a risk of losing staff if they fail to comply with the vaccination mandate.
NHS London and Barts Health have directed inquiries to the Department of Health and Social Care for comments regarding the situation. A spokesperson from the Department emphasized the importance of patient safety and the effectiveness of vaccines in protecting healthcare workers from potential exposure to Covid-19, underscoring the necessity of compliance with vaccination requirements for the safety of all involved.