Thousands of nurses yet to receive first Covid vaccine, industry warns

Tens of thousands of nurses in the UK have yet to receive a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to a new survey.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found 85 per cent of 24,370 nursing staff members polled between 29 January and 2 February had received at least one dose.

Of the 15 per cent who had not, 70 per cent work in non-NHS settings – either in local communities, social care settings such as care homes, or are employed by agencies.

The RCN said this suggests that out of its 450,000-strong membership, an estimated 75,000 nurses still have not been given a jab.

Overall, 35 per cent of agency workers and 19 per cent of temporary staff had not been offered a vaccine yet, compared to six per cent of permanent staff.

The findings indicate that the government could fall short of its pledge to vaccinate Britain’s top four priority groups, which includes all health and social care staff, by 15 February.

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN chief executive and general secretary, described the survey as “extremely worrying” and called upon the government to “intervene now”.

"Temporary and agency staff work in our communities and hospitals, with patients and the public – and they face the same level of risk as their NHS colleagues,” she said.

"Every effort must be made to reach all nursing staff to ensure the protection of patients and vulnerable people.

"The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance is clear that the Covid-19 vaccine should be available to all health and social care staff.

"This is irrespective of where they are employed, including agency staff and those employed in the independent sectors.

"Employers are ultimately responsible for ensuring all their staff are able to access the vaccine."

The survey also that found 71 per cent of non-NHS staff had received at least one vaccine, compared to 91 per cent of nursing staff working in the NHS.

Almost a fifth (19 per cent) of 1,817 nursing staff in care homes had not received a vaccine.

Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of those who worked outside the NHS and had not received a vaccine had also not yet been offered one.

This compares to 35 per cent of the NHS staff who had not received a vaccine.

Overall, seven per cent of nursing staff had been offered a vaccine but had not received one.

Asked why, 38 per cent said they did not want to have the vaccine right now or were undecided, 33 per cent said they had a vaccination scheduled and 13 per cent said they had been unable to attend an appointment.

One in eight said they did not want to have the vaccine at all, and four per cent said there were not enough doses available when they went to get it.

Nadra Ahmed, chairwoman of the National Care Association, said: "It is worrying to note that staff working with vulnerable people in social care settings are in this invidious position."

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: "Ease of access to the Covid-19 vaccine is essential for all who work on the front line including nurses working in the adult social care sector.

"For example, GPs entering care homes to vaccine residents could offer all staff the vaccine at the same time rather than them having to go to vaccine hubs.”

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We are following advice from the independent JCVI to first vaccinate people deemed most at risk of coronavirus, along with our heroic health and social care staff on the frontline.

"This includes temporary, agency and voluntary workers who are at an increased risk of contracting or transmitting the virus to other people particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, as well as to other staff in a healthcare environment.

"The NHS is working at pace to vaccinate these groups and we are on track to offer a vaccination to everyone in these first four priority groups by mid-February."

Additional reporting by PA