Feedback on the vaccination programme for care and supported housing residents and staff

We have been engaging with both the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) over the last few weeks to ensure our members’ front line staff working in supported and sheltered housing are part of the current vaccination roll. The government have agreed to include that cohort of workers in the current roll out.   

We have also been talking to members to monitor whether those front line care and support workers, including in supported and retirement housing, have been able to access the vaccination and where there have been barriers, including staff hesitancy.

On 1 February the NHF, along with other care sector staff were invited to a meeting with the Minister of State for Social Care, Helen Whately to discuss the success of the vaccination roll out and any barriers. This provided us with the opportunity to feedback member’s experiences and concerns.  

We really appreciate your feedback

The success of the roll out of vaccinations to our member’s front line care and support staff has been very mixed across the country with some areas feeding back positively about easy access for staff. Unfortunately in some areas the roll out has not reached the relevant staff and the process has not always been clear. As a result, we still need to provide feedback where there are issues in accessing the vaccination.  

The Minister and the DHSC are keen that we provide as much information as possible about those Local Authority areas where there are barriers to accessing the vaccination for our members’ front line support workers.

We have sent a request to members about any issues they were experiencing in accessing the vaccination via their Local Authority. The response has been fantastic and has enabled us to feedback your local experiences directly to the government. Thank you to everyone who contributed.  

If you have yet to provide feedback there is still an opportunity to do so. This feedback is invaluable to DHSC in targeting their efforts to ensure the vaccination roll out is successful.

Please let us know:

• If you are experiencing any blockages to receiving the vaccinations in your Local Authority areas.

Please forward any examples to Rebecca Slack (Rebecca.slack@housing.org.uk) by Monday 15 February 2021.