Time To Talk To Colleagues About Vaccinations?
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- Published: Monday, 08 March 2021 10:42
- Written by Chris Tapper
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NHS England is telling NHS trusts to have ‘one-to-one’ conversations with all health service staff refusing to have the COVID-19 vaccine as it’s been uncovered there is some resistance to the vaccine amongst dental professionals.
NHSE has called for line managers to have one-to-one conversations with all NHS staff who have refused the covid vaccine by March 12th, to discuss its ‘powerful protective effects,’ reports the Health Service Journal.
Figures for the numbers of dental staff who have taken up the vaccination are unknown, as is the proportion of dental workers who have refused the jab.
Around seven per cent of frontline NHS staff have yet to receive the jab. The proportion of medical staff who have refused the vaccine is unknown.
But a small online survey of dental professionals carried out over the weekend shows that more than 65% of participants have had experience of colleagues refusing to have the vaccination.
One dentist told DentistGoneBadd on Twitter, there was “Some hesitancy, but everyone who can, has had their first dose. We had an open discussion together and we looked up things people were worried about.”
In response to the survey, a dental nurse said one colleague “Refused as ‘I’m young and healthy.’ He said he will have it but when it’s his age group.”
GDPUK has also heard anecdotal evidence directly from dental professionals who have said colleagues have refused the vaccine.
Under current legislation The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, prohibits powers on mandatory medical treatment, including vaccines.
Over the weekend it was revealed by The Times that Matt Hancock revealed healthcare workers "could be forced to have the coronavirus vaccine under Michael Gove’s review of passport schemes.”
The Health and Social Care Secretary told The Times “I urge everybody in the NHS to get the vaccine, and we have seen the take-up increase.”
“We are not going to bring in mandatory vaccination across the board and at this stage we are not proposing to bring in mandatory vaccination for NHS staff.”
However, Mr Hancock said that the review led by Mr Gove, the Cabinet Office Minister, was examining the “Moral, ethical and practical questions about all of these issues.”
In February, the General Dental Council said “While getting vaccinated remains voluntary, the potential for dental professionals to inadvertently spread COVID-19 to vulnerable patients is a serious infection risk that needs ongoing mitigation. Careful consideration should be given to these risks, taking account of practice setting and patient vulnerabilities.”
“Professional judgment should be exercised to ensure infection risks are adequately controlled in practices, and dental professionals should do their bit to encourage others to take up the vaccine.”
In January, England Chief Dental Officer Sara Hurley said “As frontline health professionals, it is important that when you are called to be vaccinated, you attend.”
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