The Government has now announced that it will consult on the legal requirement for front-line NHS staff in England to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
This means that the deadline for all NHS patient-facing occupational therapists in England, along will other Allied Health Professions to get a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 3 February 2022 and be fully vaccinated by 1 April 2022 is no longer applicable. The NHS has now written to employers telling them not to serve notices of termination to staff who are unvaccinated.
Vaccinated is defined as a “complete course of a Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved COVID-19 vaccine”. This does not currently include the booster jab.
BAOT/UNISON supports the vaccination program in health and social care, though we disagree with the Government’s decision to mandate the vaccine. We still encourage all members who do not have a medical exemption to speak with colleagues and local representatives about vaccine hesitancy and be vaccinated.
RCOT members (except those who are self-employed) are automatically members of UNISON and UNISON acts as the union on RCOT’s behalf.