Frontline staff vaccinations

We continue to provide a variety of resources to help support and encourage careworkers to get vaccinated, including videos in community languages.

We are currently progressing Covid-19 vaccinations for Frontline Health & Social Care Workers in line with current JCVI guidance.

We have prepared the below FAQ for providers to support with any queries from staff and to provide reassurance regarding the vaccination. We are contacting all eligible providers known to be registered or providing direct care and support to Clinically Vulnerable individuals* within Dudley.

If you believe staff in your organisation (who are working or living in Dudley) are eligible as frontline workers and you/they haven’t been offered the vaccine, please check the guidance below regarding Frontline Provider Eligibility. If having checked the guidance you still believe your staff/organisation is eligible then please contact us:
vaccination@dudley.gov.uk

*Clinically Vulnerable individuals are those as defined in JCVI cohorts 1-9

The National Booking site is now the sole booking site for all eligible individuals to book directly who are frontline workers, or in an eligible age group (currently anyone aged 56 or over) with over 1200 slots available per day.

Everyone in the top four priority groups, as outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, will be offered a vaccine by 15 February. This includes all frontline social care workers, including care home workers, home care workers and those working in day centres and supported living, who have close personal contact with those who are clinically at risk from COVID-19.

If you employ frontline care workers who fall into these priority groups and have not yet been contacted about supporting access to vaccination, please contact us at vaccination@dudley.gov.uk and we will be able to confirm eligibility and support you in making the necessary arrangements.

In addition, initially for a period of two weeks, all eligible frontline care workers will be able book their first vaccination via the National Booking Service. This provides an additional option for employers and eligible frontline social care workers to access an appointment at a time and place that is convenient for them.

The National Booking Service can be accessed via: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ or by phoning 119.

Please see the documents below for more details.

If you are a personal care assistant (PA) for someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, has a defined underlying health condition or is of advanced age (85+) you are eligible for a vaccine in priority group two.

All PAs who meet this definition are eligible for vaccination now, regardless of whether they are self-employed, employed privately, through a social care direct payment (DP), a personal health budget (PHB), or through a broker or payroll provider.

You are also eligible for weekly self-use covid-19 at home testing kits. Four tests are delivered for each personal assistant to their selected delivery address for a 28-day testing cycle.

Find out how to apply for at home testing kits for PAs