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A care home group which runs several homes across Kent has told staff they must get a Covid vaccination or face not being allowed to work.
Barchester Healthcare, which has seven homes in the county, updated workers about the new policy this week after a "strong uptake" in the vaccine.
Staff not yet vaccinated will be forced to have at least their first jab before April 23 or "make themselves unavailable for work" if they refused, the company said.
The company runs seven homes in Kent – Ashminster House in Ashford, Emily Jackson House in Sevenoaks, Falcon Place and Newington Court in Sittingbourne, Friston House and Winchester House in Rochester and Sutton Valence Care Home near Maidstone.
A Barchester spokesman said: "Following staff engagement and a full risk assessment, we have introduced a new policy in which we expect all staff to have had the vaccine by April 23, 2021.
"We are prepared to delay that date if there is any data regarding safety, efficacy or effect on transmission which requires further review.
"We have set out a number of acceptable exemptions, including, at this stage, pregnancy, and exempted staff will operate with enhanced PPE.
"It is important also to say that we fully respect the decisions that individuals make and if someone chooses not to accept the vaccine we respect that decision.
"However, we take our responsibility for the care of our residents and patients very seriously and believe this is the approach to give them the utmost protection."
About 92% of residents and 90% of staff have received their first jabs so far.
The remaining people yet to receive a dose is because they are waiting to be Covid negative for 28 days, the company added.
It has also pledged that new residents or patients yet to receive a vaccine would have a jab, or be willing to have one, before moving in.
The company's statement added: "With regard to our staff, we have been working hard to ensure that they take decisions in an informed way and we have provided them with a great deal of supporting information, including webinars with Professor Nicola Stonehouse, a renowned virologist, providing her independent expert opinion on a wide range of vaccine related questions."
KentOnline revealed yesterday the mass vaccine centres in five locations across Kent – Folkestone, Gravesend, Tonbridge, Ramsgate and Chatham – will have to temporarily close from April 1 due to a shortage of supply across the UK.
Doctors and NHS bosses said roll out of jabs will be significantly slower and no new first jab appointments are being booked until at least April 11 with existing appointments being rearranged.
Patients with appointments for their second jabs are set to continue because of the need for patients to receive a full dose and the increase in protection provided by the second jab.
It is understood staff unable to receive a vaccine in time will have to wear additional PPE and social distancing measures.
Visitors seeing loved ones at Barchester's homes are strongly advised to take up a vaccine ahead of visiting.
But in a statement Barchester said while it was "our preference" that all designated visitors are vaccinated it is "mindful this may not be possible".
The company said: "Many of you have told us that you are not in a category that has been vaccinated as yet, so whilst it is our preference, please be assured that if you have not had the chance to be vaccinated we will not stop you from becoming the designated visitor able to visit indoors."
A booking system is in place to allow visitors a slot to see a relative or friend in a designated suite for visiting and people must return a negative test on arrival before entering the home.
Asked if there were plans to introduce a 'vaccine passport' policy for visitors in the future, a Barchester spokesman said the company would continue to follow government guidance.
The policy is not aimed at discriminating against staff, a spokesman added.
"Our long-term ambition is that all patient and resident-facing staff will have the Covid-19 vaccine in order to protect both themselves and the vulnerable residents and patients in our care," they said.
"We are very aware of concerns around possible discrimination which is in no way our intention. We are doing everything possible to ensure fairness whilst also delivering on our duty to protect our residents, patients and staff."
