The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 were made on 6 January 2022. They require providers of regulated healthcare services in England to ensure that workers who:
- are employed or engaged in the provision of regulated activity and
- have face-to-face contact with patients or service users
have received two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, unless medically exempt.
The final version of the Regulations is identical to the draft version published in December 2021 and the new rules will apply, as planned, from 1 April 2022.
The new rules will sit alongside the care home regulations that came into force on 11 November 2021. Both sets of regulations seek to ensure that vaccination coverage protects vulnerable people and individual workers in health and social care settings. They will therefore have a significant impact on all health and social care providers, their workers, contractors and suppliers.
Read more in our previous insight on what the rules mean for your organisation and how you can prepare for the guidance coming into effect.
Any questions? Join our webinar on 20 January here.