Response to DHSC consultation on revoking vaccination as a condition of deployment across all health and social care
Our response to the consultation, February 2022
On 31 January the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced the government’s intention to withdraw the requirement for staff working in patient-facing roles to be vaccinated (in England only).
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) published a consultation on 9 February to seek views on the government’s intention to revoke provisions which were set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (as inserted by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No.2) Regulations 2022).
In its response to the consultation, the AOP, as a membership body that represents a clinical profession, remains supportive of, and continues to encourage COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment. In our consultation response we stated our preference that the requirement is not revoked.
This is in keeping with our role as primary care practitioners to protect patients and staff and mitigate COVID-19 risk in the workplace. Our position is supported by research we undertook with AOP members – the majority of whom indicated they were in favour of mandatory vaccination – in order to respond to DHSC’s consultation on making COVID and flu vaccinations mandatory in 2021.