Leaked Memo Warns Ministers Off Mandatory Jabs For NHS Staff

Ministers have been issued with a stark warning over mandatory Covid vaccines for NHS workers in England , with a leaked document saying growing evidence about the Omicron variant cast doubts over the new law’s “rationality” and “proportionality”.

- Aubrey Allegretti, Denis Campbell

Two jabs will be compulsory for frontline NHS stafffrom 1 April after MPs voted on the legislation .

But the document, from Department of Health and Social Care officials, seen by the Guardian, said the evidence base on which MPs had voted had “ changed”, creating a higher chance of a judicial review. The effectiveness of only two vaccine doses against Omicron, and lower likelihood of hospital admissions in relation to the variant, are cited .

More than 70,000 NHS staff, or 4.9%, could still be unvaccinated by 1 April, the document says. NHS trusts in England are preparing to send dismissal letters from 3 February to staffwho have not had their first dose by then.

Last week groups including the Royal College of Nursing urged Sajid Javid, the health secretary, to delay the legislation , known as “v accination as a c ondition of d eployment” (VCOD2). An earlier VCOD1 rule applied to care workers and came into force on 11 November .

The Royal College of Nursing yesterday said the leaked memo should prompt ministers to call a halt to the imposition of compulsory jabs .