As winter approaches so does the cold and flu season. While we may no longer be getting the daily inundation of COVID-19 statistics, this does not mean that the virus has gone or that GP practices do not need to take it into consideration when planning for the upcoming winter period. The New COVID-19 Variant …
Five care home workers alleged that they were unlawfully dismissed in 2021 because they refused to uptake the COVID-19 vaccine. However, a tribunal in Leeds found that dismissing the staff was lawful due to the danger that failure to get vaccinated would pose to the elderly and vulnerable residents in their places of work. Notably, …
The UK has been urged to prepare for a big, early wave of flu by the UK Health Security Agency (“UKHSA”) experts. This warning, is based on what Australia has just experienced during its winter. Australia and many other southern hemisphere nations have just experienced their most rampant flu season for years. UKHSA experts believe …
Flu and COVID-19 could make this a hard winter for UK Read More »
COVID-19 infection rates have increased in the UK for the first time since the middle of July 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics (“ONS”). The latest ONS figures show one in seventy tested positive, with the largest rise in secondary school children in the week of 14 September 2022. Infections increased in England …
First rise in COVID-19 infections in the UK since July Read More »
Care home residents and staff are set to be among the first in the world to receive the new, variant-tackling jabs from Monday 12 September 2022. This is part of the NHS COVID-19 autumn vaccination programme. Furthermore, to encourage protection, GPs will be incentivised to deliver ‘accelerated’ COVID-19 autumn boosters, with payments up to a …
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (“JCVI”) has advised at-risk groups that they should receive a booster Covid vaccine dose in autumn 2022. In addition, JVCI has said the jabs should be offered to over-65s, health and care staff, and clinically vulnerable adults aged 16-64. The purpose of this booster is to crucially top …
Vulnerable adults set to receive booster vaccinations in autumn Read More »
The COVID-19 vaccination programme has provided a critical defence against severe infection. However, immunity protection levels decline over time. This is why Wales and Scotland has launched a spring booster programme which is currently being rolled out, with England now joining them. This aims to bolster protection levels as many of the oldest recipients received …
Booster Jab launches for over 75’s amidst rising COVID-19 cases Read More »
Let’s set the scene, Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD) in care homes came into force on 11 November 2021 and was in the process of being applied to health and wider social care settings on 1 April 2022. Then on 31 January 2022, only approximately two months after VCOD became mandatory in care …
The End of Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment Read More »
On 15 March 2022 the government revoked the regulations relating to Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD). However, as VCOD has been in force and applicable to care homes since 11 November 2021, the CQC has been inspecting care homes against the VCOD regulation since that date. The CQC has released a statement on …
CQC regulation of Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment Read More »
The Government’s response to its recent consultation on revoking vaccination as a condition of deployment was published on 1 March 2022. The consultation ran from 9 to 16 February 2022 and received over 90,000 responses, 90% of which were in support of revoking the requirement and 9% opposed the proposal. The response sets out key …
Ridouts is a team of specialist health and social care lawyers, providing dedicated legal advice for care homes, GP practices, children’s homes, dental practices, domiciliary and home care agencies, supported and independent living services and both private and NHS hospitals.
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