D230. Staff Vaccinations and Immunisations in Domiciliary Care

Policy Statement

This agency strives to comply with all aspects of health and safety legislation including taking all the measures required and recommended to prevent and control the risks of people receiving care contracting infectious illnesses and diseases from staff. It also recognises its duty of care to its staff to prevent as far as possible their contracting infectious illnesses and diseases as part of their work.

This policy applies to all employees with direct contact with people receiving care, who might contract an infectious illness through the course of their work that is preventable through immunisation.

The aims of the policy are to:

protect staff and their families and friends from infections contracted at work
protect people receiving care from contracting infections from staff.

Legal Considerations

{{org_field_name}} will adhere to all relevant legislation, including:

the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974
the Public Health Infectious Diseases Regulations 1988
the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH).

Under the above legislation, and associated codes of practice, {{org_field_name}} understands its legal and moral duty to ensure the health and safety of both staff and people receiving care and to protect them, wherever practicable, from dangerous substances in the workplace, including the risk of transmission of infections.

Regulation

{{org_field_name}} recognises that it must comply with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in order to meet its legal requirement for registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

With respect to infection control, {{org_field_name}} understands that a range of regulations may apply, including Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment — this requires providers to assess the risk of, and prevent, detect and control the spread of, infections, including those that are healthcare associated.

Guidance for Providers on Meeting the Regulations, published by the CQC in March 2015, provides guidance on how {{org_field_name}} should comply with the regulations.

Guidance

This agency seeks at all times to comply with evidence-based best practice in infection control, particularly with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the Prevention and Control of Infection and Related Guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care (the Hygiene Code).

Compliance with this guidance is an effective way to help it to meet its regulatory requirements with the Care Quality Commission under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

In addition, {{org_field_name}} will comply with all other relevant best practice infection control guidance, including:

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC): Resource for Adult Social Care (2022), DHSC
Infection Prevention and Control in Adult Social Care: Covid-19 Supplement (2022), DHSC.

Applicable guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) includes:

CG139: Healthcare-associated Infections: Prevention and Control in Primary and Community Care (updated February 2017)
PH36: Healthcare-associated Infections: Prevention and Control (November 2011).

Specialist advice and support will be obtained from the local public health protection team and from relevant primary healthcare teams.

Procedures

{{org_field_name}} accepts that it has a responsibility under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) to take all possible steps to protect its employees from any infectious illness or hazardous substances to which they are at risk from contracting during the course of their work.

It exercises its responsibilities by ensuring that risk assessments have been or are carried out wherever there is a possibility of an employee contracting any infectious illness from their work. {{org_field_name}} does not consider vaccinations to be a ready substitute for adequate risk assessments and good infection control procedures, as described in its infection control policy. Depending on the outcome of the risk assessment it will then take all necessary steps to protect its staff from contracting the identifiable illness or illnesses.

As a general rule, {{org_field_name}} accepts that the risks of transmission of infection to care staff is very low but it considers it prudent to take sensible precautions. {{org_field_name}} therefore recommends to all of its employees that they are vaccinated against any infections or infectious illnesses that they are at risk from within the general population, including tetanus. It then expects its home care employees to have the following additional vaccinations.

Covid-19

it is no longer a requirement for people to have received a Covid-19 vaccine in order to deliver face-to-face CQC-regulated activities in any health or social care settings, including care homes.

{{org_field_name}} understands that, despite the mandatory vaccination law being revoked, it remains strongly recommended that all health and adult social care staff are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. This recommendation, which is supported by all professional bodies, is not only vital for their own protection but also for the protection of other staff and vulnerable people. {{org_field_name}} will continue to ensure that staff are supported to access suitable Covid-19 vaccination services and advice.

Hepatitis B

In line with Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) guidelines, {{org_field_name}} recommends vaccination against hepatitis B for any of its care workers who may have a risk of direct contact with people’s blood or blood-stained body fluids. This includes anyone at risk of injury from blood-contaminated sharp instruments or of being deliberately injured or bitten.

Influenza

{{org_field_name}} also follows DHSC guidance in recommending to its employees that they have annual vaccinations against influenza. The guidance states that influenza immunisation for health and social care staff is likely to reduce the transmission of influenza to vulnerable people, some of whom may have impaired immunity and reduced protection from any influenza vaccine they have received themselves.

Consent

{{org_field_name}} asks that employees give their consent to vaccination voluntarily and freely.

It also respects the rights of employees to take their own decisions on whether to be vaccinated and recognises that some employees will not wish to be vaccinated for their own reasons. It will then fully discuss the implications with those individuals and the further risks that will need to be managed.

Staff Training and Information

{{org_field_name}} encourages all of its employees to have access to occupational health advice. It seeks information and advice as needed from its local occupational health service and infection control units. {{org_field_name}} provides employees with up-to-date information it receives on vaccination guidance. Staff receive information on the policy on appointment and during their induction programme. They receive further training on selective vaccination issues as required and are encouraged to raise specific concerns in supervision.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annually (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.

D230. Staff Vaccinations and Immunisations in Domiciliary Care