Care Homes Forced To Refuse NHS Patients As Mandatory Vaccines Lead To Staff Exodus

Care homes have had to refuse NHS requests to discharge patients into their care as the government’s mandatory vaccine deadline forces staff out, increasing pressure on services.

- Rebecca Thomas

Care homes have had to refuse NHS requests to discharge patients into their care as the government’s mandatory vaccine deadline forces staff out, increasing pressure on services. One of the largest care home providers in the country, Four Seasons Health Care, has had to refuse NHS requests to discharge patients into its homes after losing staff ahead of today’s mandatory vaccine deadline.

The latest figures show nearly 32,000 care home staff have yet to have any jabs and another 30,000 have only received their first dose, meaning the sector could loose tens of thousands of staff from today.

Speaking to The Independent, Jeremy Richardson, chief executive of Four Seasons, said that in the last two weeks the provider had refused 80 requests from the NHS for admission, as the loss of staff meant that homes would not be able to ensure safe care if they accepted the patients.

Mr Richardson warned that the government’s decision to mandate vaccines was “really unhelpful and unnecessary”. He said: “I don’t think the government should have mandated the vaccine. I don’t think it’s necessary; I think it’s a retrogressive step.