Vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) for all healthcare workers

  • 01 Feb 2022
  • The Royal College of Ophthalmologists

Regulations making vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) for all healthcare workers is being reconsidered. Secretary of State Sajid Javid made a statement to the House yesterday evening announcing that the regulations will be revoked, subject to public consultation and parliamentary approval.

NHSE/I have issued a letter to system leaders on this latest update, which can be found on the NHS website, asking employers not to serve notice of termination to national healthcare employees affected by the VCOD regulations.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists issued a statement to the initial mandatory vaccination announcement in January. We continue to strongly support and encourage all staff and members of the public to be vaccinated unless they are medically exempt.  Our statement on the 11 January 2022, also highlighted that, along with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, we did not feel that mandatory vaccination was the right approach; that all doctors and healthcare staff have a professional duty to protect themselves, their colleagues and patients.  We are pleased to see this reconsideration of VCOD policy.