The Royal College of Nursing has recognised the success of the vaccine rollout across England, but has warned that agency and temporary nursing staff at risk of being left behind.

With more than 24,000 responses, a recent survey by the RCN found that 85 per cent of respondents had received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, including seven per cent who had received both doses. This is a significant achievement for the vaccination programme, which nursing staff are key to delivering.

However, 15 per cent of respondents hadn’t received the vaccine and the results show that of those who haven’t yet been offered it, 70 per cent work in non-NHS settings.  

The government has set a target date of having all frontline health and care staff vaccinated by 15 February. However, more than two in five agency nursing staff and one in four temporary staff, who often cover short-staffed areas, had not received a vaccine – compared to just one in eight hospital workers. The RCN is calling on the government to redouble its efforts to reach agency and temporary nursing staff who are being left behind in the vaccination programme.  

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN chief executive, said: “Temporary and agency staff work in our communities and hospitals, with patients and the public – and they face the same level of risk as their NHS colleagues. Every effort must be made to reach all nursing staff to ensure the protection of patients and vulnerable people.  

“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance is clear that the Covid-19 vaccine should be available to all health and social care staff. This is irrespective of where they are employed, including agency staff and those employed in the independent sectors. Employers are ultimately responsible for ensuring all their staff are able to access the vaccine. But the government must intervene now, as our members have proven this is clearly not the case.”