COVID Vaccinations for Healthcare Workers

The NHS in England has explicitly stated in a policy document on Jan 7 that all healthcare workers, including those working in the independent sector and the MOD, will receive COVID vaccinations as a priority.

The challenge now is to understand the mechanism by which individuals are recognised as healthcare workers and placed into a position by which they can get a vaccination.

We suggest that all healthcare professionals contact their local GP and CCG to inform them of your healthcare worker status.

Below is a summary of currently available information relating to England.

Read or download the NHS England statement here.

Key Information (England Only)

• Hospital Trust ‘hubs’ are responsible for administering COVID vaccinations – although the actual vaccine may be given in a ‘Vaccination Centre’. All will be operational by Jan 11. Some are already working.
• CCGs are responsible for collating the details of which Independent sector workers require vaccination. We do not yet know if this will be the CCG the clinic sits in, or the place the individual is resident. We have asked for clarification.
• It is possible that your GP will contact you.
• There will be one vaccination, followed up by a second after around 12 weeks.
• You will need some means of identifying that you are eligible – what this means has not yet been specified, but you may need a letter saying that you are a healthcare worker.

Rest of UK

We have not yet seen specific guidance for the devolved nations, nor detailed information on how independent healthcare workers would be identified. Below is a summary of current information.

• A letter from the CMO in Scotland dated Jan 1 defines patient-facing healthcare workers as including those in private and non-standard settings.
• The Public Health Northern Ireland website also includes independent and private sector workers in its definition.
• The Public Health Wales site states that they will rely on guidance from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation.