The NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme is now open to adult family and friend carers. Please remember the importance of identifying carers, recording their details on Mosaic, and offering carers’ assessments. This will help the right people to be offered the vaccine without delay.
For the purposes of the Vaccination Programme adult carers are defined as those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.
Those who are eligible care for people who are clinically vulnerable:
- Children with severe neuro-disabilities;
- Those who are designated Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV);
- Adults who have underlying health conditions (as defined in table 3 of the green book); and
- Those who have care needs because of advanced age.
Please see the Public Health England Green Book for further details.
If people are known as a carer by their GP, in receipt or eligible for carers allowance, or known to the Local Authority, usually as a result of having contact with a social worker and/or having a carers’ assessment, they will be invited for the COVID-19 vaccination by the NHS. This will be through the National Booking System (NBS) or their local GP-led service. It is, however, a large phased process and may take several weeks for everyone to be contacted. Those with the greatest need will be prioritised as much as possible.
Those whose caring status is currently unknown to the Local Authority or their GP, will still be able to access the vaccination but the full details on how this will be made available are still to be agreed.
Further information
If people have specific questions about vaccinations they should visit the NHS vaccination service webpage.
For local information relating to vaccinations but NOT bookings, people can visit the Sussex Health and Care Partnership website.
They can also email sxccg.vaccineenquiries@nhs.net, or call the vaccine enquiry phone line 0800 433 4545 (open 9am – 4pm, Monday to Friday). Please be aware that they cannot book appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations.
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All people included on their GP's learning disability register will be invited for vaccination as part of priority group six, regardless of the severity of their disability.
Learning disability includes the presence of:
- A significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn new skills; with
- A reduced ability to cope independently; and
- which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.
This is different to a learning difficulty.
It is important that all people with a learning disability check that if they are on their GP’s register and ask to be added, if not.
Supporting people with appointments
- If the person has received an invitation to a mass vaccine centre and they feel able to manage this environment, they can have their vaccine there.
- If the person needs additional support or reasonable adjustments, they can have their vaccination at their local vaccination centre (coordinated in most areas by GP practices) and they will receive an invite for this.
- When arranging the appointment, individual reasonable adjustments that the person may need so that appropriate support is in place, would need to be highlighted.
- If the person is housebound, they can have their vaccination at home. They will be contacted with an appointment for this.
Supporting people with a learning disability who are concerned about having the vaccine
There are various resources on West Sussex Connect to Support that can be used to support people with a learning disability.
Vaccination, Best Interests, and the Mental Capacity Act
Unlike for COVID-19 testing and because of increased risk, Best Interest is generally considered to be that the person should have the vaccine unless capacity was previously present, and a person had beliefs and wishes that were against vaccines.
The decision is not considered to be ‘serious medical treatment’ and so does not need an IMCA.
See this legal practice note for detailed guidance.
The following videos provide detailed information on how vaccines work and patient safety, which health and social care workers may find useful.
COVID-19 vaccinations and patient safety - Presentation by Dr Manon Ragonnet-Cronin, Medical Research Council Fellow, Imperial College London.
Answering questions about the COVID-19 vaccine - Dr Ragonnet-Cronin answers questions from health and social care workers about COVID-19 vaccination and patient safety.
Staff can also find useful information about COVID-19 vaccination and the safety of vaccines on the Provider Zone.
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