Thousands of unjabbed care home staff set to quit for NHS as compulsory vaccination law comes into force

Thousands of unvaccinated nurses and healthcare assistants who work in care homes are set to flood the NHS, say bosses, as a ban on unjabbed staff in social care comes into effect.

Up to 60,000 care home workers across England – about ten per cent of the sector’s workforce – have still not been double-vaccinated against Covid, according to official figures.

But on Thursday, they will be forced to leave their jobs when a new law banning the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated from working in care homes kicks in.

The hard-line move is part of the Government’s drive to ensure elderly residents, who can still develop severe Covid illness despite being double-vaccinated, are protected.

Ministers insist the law is necessary, and point out that care home staff have had months of warning.

But care home bosses say the move will lead to staff simply swapping one workplace where they care for the vulnerable elderly – care homes; for another – hospitals.

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