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Government promotes supported housing workers up vaccine priority list after pressure
Supported housing workers will now be among the second wave of people receiving COVID-19 vaccinations after lobbying from the National Housing Federation (NHF).
The government confirmed in updated guidance last week that those working in supported housing would now be part of the second priority group in the government’s vaccination programme.
The change from the government came after the NHF raised the issue as supported housing workers were originally not included on the list.
The NHF said that after seeing supported housing workers excluded, they liaised with government and the NHS to ensure that this group of workers was included.
The guidance was then updated on Thursday to outline who would be vaccinated in priority group two, saying: “All frontline care workers working with people clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 who need care and support irrespective of where they work (for example in people’s homes, day centres, care homes for working age adults or supported housing), whether they care for clinically vulnerable adults or children; or who they are employed by (for example local government, NHS private sector or third sector employees).”
The guidance, which can be found here, also includes a table detailing the roles in scope and covers a broader spectrum of employees in these settings.
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The government has listed nine priority groups to be vaccinated. The first group includes all residents in care homes and their carers, while the second group covers all those aged over 80 and frontline health workers, social care workers and – since last week’s update change – supported housing workers.
Commenting on the news about supported housing workers, Sue Ramsden, policy leader at the NHF, said: “We welcome the new guidance for frontline health and social care workers which confirms that a broad range of supported housing staff are included among the priority groups for receiving the coronavirus vaccine.
“We have been liaising with the government and NHS to ensure supported housing workers, who are providing vital care and support to vulnerable residents during this health crisis, are on the list.
“This important step will help protect residents and ensure that these services are able to keep running throughout this critical time.”
“We encourage supported housing providers to work with their local authorities so that this can take place as quickly and safely as possible.”
The supported housing sector has been particularly badly hit by the pandemic, particularly smaller providers.
Last May, in the height of the first COVID-19 wave, the NHF warned that many of these organisations were under pressure due to staff absences and increased operational costs.
Supported housing providers also struggled to re-let properties in the height of the pandemic, which led to increased voids.
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