Northampton care home defends 'strong encouragement' for workers to get coronavirus vaccine after criticism

A Northampton care home has defended its policy to 'strongly encourage' its staff to get the coronavirus vaccine after criticism from a disgruntled worker.

Workers at Brampton View Care Home received a letter from Barchester Healthcare's chief executive outlining the importance of getting the jab and the consequences of refusal on non-medical grounds.

Non-compliant employees will lose out on any sick pay above the statutory amount if they have to self-isolate as well as missing out on bonuses and promotions.A Barchester Healthcare spokesperson said: “Our current position is that we are will not hire someone who has refused to have the vaccine on non-medical grounds.

"We have not said that we will sack staff who refuse the vaccine on non-medical grounds; instead we have brought in behavioural nudges which we hope will encourage staff to be cognisant of the responsibility we have to protect our residents and relatives.

"This includes linking uptake of the vaccine to the incentives of bonuses and promotions as we believe that having the vaccine is vital in the delivery of the highest quality care.

"Staff can make their own choice about whether to have the vaccine but we strongly encourage it.

"Staff who refuse to have the vaccine on non-medical grounds who then contract Covid-19 will receive statutory sick pay, not the enhanced sick pay that we offer.

"We are living, working and caring for people who are in the highest risk category, through a pandemic and we are keeping our policies under constant review.”

Care home staff are among the first group to receive the Covid-19 vaccine after the first one was approved for use in December.

The move has, however, received some criticism. One member of staff contacted the Chron to say they felt they were being forced to have the vacinne.

The member of staff said some of their colleagues have refused it due to medical reasons, religion, their own beliefs, personal reasons and some just do not want it.

They told the Chron that they felt they were being made to feel selfish if they did not have the vaccine.

"We are all extremely hurt by this and should not be forced to have the vaccine if it is against our wishes.

"Many staff members have had the vaccine when they did not want it due to being pressurised into having it .

"The government has not made the vaccine mandatory so we are all within our rights to refuse it."