Over 1,100 returner GPs have signed up to support local Covid vaccination services, NHS England has said.
In its primary care bulletin (16 February), NHSE thanked all staff who have come forward and said it was keen to encourage their use within PCN sites.
‘Those who have responded have been provided with the lead provider and PCN/CCG contact details to discuss how they can support the services,’ the bulletin said.
Last month, NHSE announced that it was cutting the administrative process behind getting retired or former NHS staff involved in Covid-19 efforts.
This included removing six of the 19 forms returning staff previously had to complete, with NHSE cutting proof of training in conflict resolution, equality and diversity, fire safety and preventing radicalisation.
Public Health England (PHE) has previously said that it may be necessary to ‘rapidly train people who have not vaccinated for some time’.
Under its Covid vaccinator training recommendations, PHE said that if a registered practitioner is returning to vaccination after a prolonged period they will require specific training relating to the Covid vaccine, its storage, and legal aspects regarding consent.
Last year, Pulse reported that GPs wishing to return to the NHS as part of the Bringing Back Staff programme, which opened in March 2020, were caught up in red tape for weeks.
On its website, NHSE said of its current recruitment process: ‘If you have come forward to support the vaccination programme and not yet been assigned, please bear in mind that this is a long-term programme and local NHS organisations will be continuing to bring people on board. For now, you do not need to do anything further.’
A version of this story was fist published by Pulse’s sister title Management in Practice
READERS' COMMENTS [6]
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Just been doing a COVID-19 vaccination session. Got the job via local Contacts after failing to get anywhere with NHS professional. They should be repurposed to organising a pisxxx in a brewery
i’m a current gp, on all the lists, fully indemnified etc. at the age of 71, i limit myself to a couple of days a week locumming. i volunteered to be a “vaccinator” – something i’ve done for over 40 years.
apparently i cannot give covid vaccines unless i’ve een “trained”. any other vaccine is fine, but not covid. i cannot be “trained” to stick needles in people unless i can prove what o levels i have – three medical degrees apparently don’t count. do you know where your o level certificates are ? no – neither do i !!
so – no training, therefore no work as a vaccinator.
so i’m out in my workshop restoring a 1939 wolseley until i’ve had my second jab – when i start work in the loca field hospital !!
Retired doctors, nurses and pharmacists returning to give vaccines can be registered with their regulatory bodies . Retired dentists wishing to do the same are not by theirs. They would have to go through the whole return to practice processes taking at least a year costing thousands of pounds even though they have no intention of returning to dentistry !
I have also volunteered to be a vaccinator. I quite understand the need to know about the vaccines beforehand, in order to answer questions, but apparently it is also imperative to know which bag to use for soiled laundry and which cleaning products to use to clean the toilets.
Still working some of the time as a surgeon so fully registered. Tried to volunteer via NHS returners. As with Track and Trace etc, never heard more after having identity verified. Friend is a GP with a large vaccination hub. Now working there 2 sessions a week to help them get through 1150 in a day.
£18/hr here. Wow! We are valued that much.