Latest information for care homes on the covid-19 booster vaccination programme (27/09/21)
This operational guide for older adults over 65 years living in a CQC registered care home setting together with all health and social care staff working in these settings has been updated following the Joint committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI’s) statement on booster vaccinations published on 14 September 2021. The pack contains information on the delivery model, consent and capacity, vaccine handling and preparation, post vaccination guidelines, Q&As and resources.
Information for care homes on the covid-19 vaccination programme
The vaccination programme is underway across north east London.
Background information is available in the letter from the Minister for Social Care sent on 4 December.
This resource pack has been developed to provide clear guidance for London Care Homes about the COVID 19 vaccine, and bring useful resources and information together in one place. Please note that information and process are continuing to develop, please continue to follow local process and guidance.
Residents in care homes for older adults have been very affected by COVID-19 and are therefore a high priority group to be vaccinated. The priority groups are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-2-december-2020
For learning disability care homes – see the JCVI prioritisation . Adults with Down’s syndrome are on the clinically extremely vulnerable list. People with severe and profound learning disabilities are classed as people with ‘underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality’
Advice
Care home managers are asked to:
- Put together staff lists – including your agency staff, including basic details (name, gender, date of birth, NHS number, GP details) for each staff member. If you don’t have your NHS number the vaccine hubs can find this out, as long as you details with your GP are up to date
- Be ready to provide each staff member with a letter confirming their employment in the care sector
- Keep staff records of vaccinations and report via the Capacity Tracker (as you do with flu vaccination)
- Consider the Covid-secure logistics of releasing staff to receive their vaccine, while maintaining staffing levels within their home.
- Talk to residents and those important to them about the vaccine – you might want to include information about the vaccine in newsletters to relatives
- Start the consent process – including capacity assessments, consent from Power of Attorney and best interest decisions. The consent forms and letters can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-consent-forms-and-letters-for-care-home-residents
Useful documents
- Public Health England COVID-19 vaccination patient leaflet
- Public Health England Leaflet – what to expect after your COVID-19 vaccinations
- Public Health England COVID-19 vaccine health and social care worker leaflet
- Pfizer patient information leaflet
- General vaccine fact sheets can be downloaded here
The vaccine is just one tool in our tool box to prevent Covid-19. Please:
- Continue to wear PPE
- Continue to follow infection prevention control guidance
- Continue with testing
- Continue to follow guidance if anyone has symptoms COVID-19