The Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) has not been able to give up to date figures on how many private sector healthcare staff remain unvaccinated despite the threat of dismissal being introduced this week.
However, the IHPN said it is working with the NHS and the wider care sector to share best practice around increasing the number of vaccinated workers.
Instead, the body pointed to an impact assessment from the Department for Health & Social Care in November which revealed around 5,000 employees equating to 1.5% of the private healthcare sector workforce were yet to be vaccinated.
Earlier this week Health & Protection reported on new NHS guidance which means private healthcare providers in England will need to start firing or reassigning unvaccinated workers from early next month.
The guidance reveals that the last date upon which unvaccinated workers, who are not exempt, must receive an authorised Covid-19 vaccine is 3 February ahead of compulsory vaccination requirements for healthcare workers coming into force on 1 April.
The rules apply to health and social care workers who have direct, face-to-face contact with people while providing care – such as doctors, nurses, dentists and domiciliary care workers, unless they are exempt.
Health & Protection contacted a number of leading private healthcare providers including Spire, Circle and Ramsay Health Care to find out how many of their workers were unvaccinated and could be at risk of being reassaigned or even dismissed.
None of the providers gave figures and instead referred Health & Protection to their membership body the IHPN which was unable to provide indicative figures for how many people across private healthcare are unvaccinated.
More up to data from the Office for National Statistics released this week revealed as of the end of 2021, 83% of health workers across both NHS and private healthcare aged between 40 and 64 had had three doses of a Covid vaccine.
In responding to the guidance, IHPN director of regulation Dawn Hodgkins, said: “With Covid vaccinations set to be mandatory for all those working in the health system who have face to face contact with patients from April, it’s vital that all healthcare providers, including those in the independent sector, are supported as much as possible in the coming months to ensure they can comply with these new regulations.
“As part of this, IHPN are working with our members, the NHS and wider health and care sector to share best practice around increasing the uptake of staff vaccinations – helping minimise any potential disruption to workforce supply from this policy.”
