Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward proposals to dismiss all NHS staff who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to 1 January 2022.
In light of the concerns raised by stakeholders about the potential impacts of these measures on workforce pressures and the pressures on services, particularly over winter, the Government has made the decision to include a grace period of 12 weeks in regulations. This grace period will mean an enforcement date of 1 April 2022, crucially avoiding the winter period and helping to minimise workforce pressures.