Care crisis averted as workers get jab at the last minute
FEARS that a forced Covid vaccination plan for Birmingham care workers could spark a mass exodus appear to have been averted after hundreds stepped up to have their jabs just in time.
Critics of the plan warned that 3,000 care staff could exit the sector because they had failed to abide by new rules that mean only the double-vaccinated would be allowed in to work in homes from this Thursday (November 11).
Birmingham’s Health and social care leader, Cllr Paulette Hamilton, urged the Government to allow a time extension, fearing the struggling sector could not afford to lose any more staff this winter.
But new data from Birmingham City Council shows that 477 look unlikely to be vaccinated in time, with a proportion of them currently off sick or on maternity leave and likely to be double-jabbed by the time they return.
The council had feared as many as 2,900 staff would be lost as a direct result of the vaccine order.
It does mean, however, that at least some of those people would rather quit frontline care sector work than get the vaccine.
It comes amid a recruitment crisis, with hundreds of job vacancies across the city.
One care home manager told the Post she was struggling to get jobs filled, with 11 out of 12 shortlisted applicants not even bothering to turn up for their interviews last week.
“I have never known it like this in my 30-odd years in care,” said Jane Farr, manager at Digby Manor care home in Erdington.
All of her staff are fully vaccinated but the profession tends to have a fast turnover and she said she was worried about attracting newcomers to the sector.
The city council said: “The council has worked very closely with all Birmingham care homes throughout the pandemic and continues to offer support, but the situation remains incredibly challenging.”
Latest data reveals that by November 11 some 92.8% of care home staff are double-jabbed, and 95.1% will have had their first dose. That is a big improvement on the data from the end of July, when just 63% of staff had received both doses.
The improved take-up also means that at least 113 care homes will have all staff vaccinated by November 11 – in July just 22 had
achieved this. The council had feared as many as 2,900 staff would be lost as a direct result of the vaccine order.
Digby Manor Care Home is one of the homes with a 100% take up. Ms Farr said it had been a very challenging 18 months since the pandemic broke and the sector was definitely facing recruitment shortages.
She said she has been advertising recently for new staff but was experiencing a lot of ‘no shows’ for interviews.
“We are trying to tackle issues around pay – we have put our wages up three times in the past two years – but even when people apply and we invite them for interviews they are just not turning up. I had a day set aside to interview 12 people last week - only one turned up.”