More than 430 carers could be sacked in South East London as Covid jab deadline looms

By Kiro Evans, local democracy reporter

More than 430 carers could be sacked in South East London as the deadline to get the Covid jab looms.

Care home staff must be double vaccinated by tomorrow in order to keep their jobs after government law changes.

It means South East London boroughs could face the departures of 434 staff over the coming days.

The latest official NHS statistics shows Bromley has the most staff to lose, with 170 care home workers still yet to have a second jab.

But Bexley and neighbouring Greenwich could also be facing staffing problems, with 159 and 105 workers respectively in danger of losing their job because of their vaccination status.

Only 90.2 per cent of Bromley’s care staff have had a second dose, and only 94.7 per cent have had a first dose.

Meanwhile, Bexley rank at only 90.4 per cent of those who have had a second jab, while Greenwich stand at 90 per cent.

The numbers come just days after it was revealed that Greenwich had lost 167 care home staff since the end of September, according to NHS figures.

Sixty-thousand carers nationally face the sack due to unwillingness to get the vaccine.

It means the sector faces a potential staffing crisis, with the care already short on workers.

It is feared 170,000 vacancies in care homes could be left after tomorrow’s departures, with some carers already leaving their jobs due to the new rules.

Yesterday, the government announced that NHS staff would also be facing a deadline to be vaccinated. Doctors and nurses must be fully vaccinated by April 1 to continue frontline care.