A care home boss has said that she was forced to sack six members of staff for not being fully vaccinated and a further six have been suspended.
Theresa Ingram-Gettins, who manages Boldmere Court care home in Sutton Coldfield, told ITV that this has placed a huge strain on the rest of the staff.
As she sobbed she fears those that had their P45 could be placed into “poverty.”
She said, “This home is like a family, we’re all very, very close to each other. I’ve had to put people into possible poverty because I’ve had to take their jobs away from them.”
There is around 9,000 less care home staff since the government introduced the mandatory vaccine policy in mid June, and NHS England figures show there is over 56,000 who have not had both jabs.
She said that for the first time she will be forced to use agency workers to cover the six who were sacked.
She added, “People are doing extra shifts. We’re tired. We’ve gone through pandemic. We’re not having holidays, we’re not having days off, we’re just worn out and Boris is not helping us with this.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said it’s their “responsibility to do everything we can to protect vulnerable people.”
A spokesman added, “We consulted and worked closely with the sector to encourage take-up of the vaccine ahead of the deadline.
“Since the consultation was announced, uptake of the first dose amongst care home staff has risen from 80% to 94%.
“We are working closely with local authorities and care home providers to ensure there will always be enough staff with the right skills to deliver high-quality care.”
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