The government is set to announce that frontline NHS staff will have to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus, with a deadline set for next Spring.

Currently, between 80,000 and 100,000 NHS workers in England are believed to be unvaccinated.

The government's decision follows a consultation which began in September and considered whether both the coronavirus and flu jabs should be compulsory for frontline NHS and care workers. It is understood that the flu vaccine will not be made mandatory and there will be exemptions for the coronavirus vaccine requirement for medical reasons.

There are concerns that compulsory vaccination may lead to an exodus of NHS staff, at a time when the service is already relying on staff to work extra shifts.

The deadline for care home workers in England to get vaccinated is 11 November.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents England's NHS trusts, has urged the government to think carefully about the tone of any announcement it made, saying unvaccinated staff should not be scapegoated or denigrated.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "We understand why people are vaccine-hesitant. We need to win the argument with them rather than beat them around the head.”