A CARE group, which represents care homes in the region, has hit back with a strong statement after a plan to make the Covid vaccine mandatory for workers emerged.

The Scarborough-based Independent Care Group slammed the Government's reported plan saying that it could prevent people up from taking up jobs in social care.

Chairman, Mike Padgham criticised the idea of "forcing people to something against their will" as he issued the stark warning, saying it could lead to a legal challenge.

On Wednesday, it had emerged that senior ministers were expected to tell frontline care workers they must have the Covid jab to keep working.

Read more: Care home workers in England to be told they 'MUST' have Covid vaccine

It had been suggested that workers who refuse the vaccine could face being redeployed away from the frontline or face being dismissed from their role.

But Mr Padgham has said there are upwards of 120,000 vacancies that may not be able to be filled as a result of the mandatory vaccine.

In a strong statement this morning, he said: “I can understand why the Government has taken this decision as it is vital that we get as many people protected against Covid-19 as possible. The vaccine is very important and playing a crucial role in the pandemic.

“However, I do not like the idea of forcing people to do something against their will and would prefer it to remain a matter of personal choice rather than be compulsory.

“I think the Government hasn’t gone far enough in its efforts to persuade people of the value of the vaccine and is using the blunt instrument of legislation.

“This will without doubt create another barrier to recruitment at a time when social care providers are facing an employment crisis and struggling to fill one shift at a time.

“What about those already employed? Are employers going to have to force them to have the injection and dismiss them if they don’t? That can’t be right and will surely open the door for legal challenge.

“There has been discussion about redeploying those who won’t have the vaccine, but again that isn’t always an option, particularly for smaller operators. This whole thing seems to demonstrate once again a lack of understanding of the social care sector.

“We trust it will extend to all healthcare workers, including those taking up NHS posts. And will it become compulsory to have a flu jab in future, as for some people the flu can be a fatal illness?”

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock is known to be in favour of the move, while the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty has said doctors and care workers have a “professional responsibility” to protect their patients.

In the North East, Gateshead's Director of Public Health, Alice Wiseman suggested she is in favour of mandatory Covid vaccines for frontline workers.

She told Times Radio: “This is a really difficult decision because nobody ever wants to take away an individual’s right to have that choice.

“But we do make some vaccines mandatory in other aspects of healthcare. So, for example, we ensure all surgeons have their Hep B vaccination, and it’s really important that we do this where we’re protecting those people who we are caring for.

“And certainly, if I had my mum in a care home, I would want to know that the staff around them were fully protected and able to provide my mum with the best care that she could have.

“So, whilst I appreciate that it’s very difficult as a decision, I am grateful that we are looking at that.”