In order to ensure that all frontline health and social care workers in England are able to receive their Covid-19 vaccine, should they wish to receive it, a new online booking system has been rolled out.
Those who are yet to receive their first dose of the vaccine can now book an appointment online via the NHS website or over the phone by contacting 119 free of charge, 7am to 11pm seven days a week.
The NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Booking Service will allow all eligible health and social care workers to self-refer themselves for a vaccine appointment, whether they are working in the NHS or not. This includes all nursing staff, including agency and temporary staff and those working in the independent sector.
As part of the process, staff will need to self-declare they are a health or social care worker and be required to bring proof of employment to the appointment.
The Government’s new push comes after the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) raised concerns that some key staff, particularly those operating on the frontline against Covid-19 but outside of NHS organisations, may have been missed by the vaccine programme.
RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary, Dame Donna Kinnair, said: “The government has acted upon our demands to intervene and put a system in place to ensure all nursing staff, irrespective of where they work, can easily access the vaccine.
“I’d encourage all eligible staff to make use of this self-referral system and book in to get the vaccination without delay to protect themselves, their patients and their family.”
