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MINISTERS must immediately repeal “no jab, no job” laws for care home staff in order to avert a staffing crisis that threatens widespread closures, says Unison.
The controversial mandatory vaccination rule is pushing thousands to the brink of quitting care work, the health union warns today.
Unison is accusing ministers of “sleepwalking into a disaster” by failing to act.
Care home staff have until September 16 to get their first vaccination or face the sack.
An exodus has already begun by workers who are hesitant about the jab, or feel they are being bullied into it, the union says.
Unison is receiving concerning reports of care homes struggling with levels of staffing that meet the safety requirements set by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Staff have contacted Unison to say that they are heartbroken to have to leave the jobs they love.
Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Vaccination remains the way out of the pandemic. But coercing and bullying people can never be the right approach.
“Ministers have been told repeatedly that using force instead of persuasion will fail. But they’ve not listened and now their ill-considered policy is backfiring.
“The government is sleepwalking into this disaster by not acting. Care is already a broken and underfunded sector that cannot afford to lose any more staff.
“The government must scrap the ‘no jab, no job’ rule now. Widespread care home closures could be the consequence if they ignore the warnings.
“This would be disastrous for elderly people and those who cannot live without care support.”