Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether contractors and employees of suppliers who work in care homes, but are not employed by care companies directly, must provide evidence of being fully vaccinated against covid-19 before entering care homes.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 requires care home providers to allow entry to the premises only to those who can demonstrate evidence of having had a complete course of an authorised COVID-19 vaccine or evidence that they are exempt from vaccination. These Regulations come into force on 11 November 2021. This includes all workers employed directly by the care home or care home provider, on a full-time or part-time basis, those employed by an agency and deployed by the care home, and volunteers deployed in the care home.

It will also include those providing direct care and those coming into care homes to do other work, for example healthcare workers, tradespeople, the Care Quality Commission’s inspectors and hairdressers and beauticians.