Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

How are people’s vaccinator job applications going?

696 replies

JacobReesMogadishu · 31/12/2020 13:49

We had a previous thread which I’ve lost. So after originally filling out the form to register my interest in Nov with NHSP and being told I’d hear back within 7 days I only got a link to fill out a proper appt a few days ago.

Done the application now and been told to wait to hear if I’m successful or not. I can really only weekends as I have a substantive 9-5 job to do but hopefully they will want all hands on deck and not turn a registered HCP who knows how to wield a needle away!

OP posts:
Chardonnay73 · 14/01/2021 16:12

The night before my interview I had an email link on Microsoft Teams emailed to me.

Layladylay234 · 14/01/2021 17:12

Evening everyone. Still sitting waiting to hear from NHSP on the return of my references which I'm pretty sure they've got by now. @goldpendant,any news on yours? Last I heard you had your DBS through but nothing else.

goldpendant · 14/01/2021 17:57

Absolutely nothing @Layladylay234

I phoned NHSP yesterday and no one had a clue what was going on, no ability to look up my application, hopeless!

Layladylay234 · 14/01/2021 19:16

@goldpendant

Absolutely nothing *@Layladylay234*

I phoned NHSP yesterday and no one had a clue what was going on, no ability to look up my application, hopeless!

Ugh,what a load of rubbish. Then I saw yesterday they were recruiting cabin staff from Easyjet to be vaccinators. We can't be the only ones in this position,makes me angry I did all that training for nothing!
Frazzled2207 · 14/01/2021 19:56

@Chardonnay73
thanks for that, will look out then

Frazzled2207 · 14/01/2021 21:20

So an awkward question- I mentioned to my mum that I’d applied and she’s horrified (“why would you put yourself at risk”) etc. My view is that the programme won’t happen without the help of tens of thousands of volunteers and when she gets hers (hopefully soon) she’ll be jolly grateful that there are volunteers as well as paid vaccinators there to run the process.

While she’s definitely a bit bonkers generally she has a point that i’d be putting myself (and my family) at risk unnecessarily. I’ve mostly wfh for nearly a year so put myself at minimal risk thus far, kind of feel it’s my turn now. As a volunteer I don’t expect to be offered the actual jab anytime soon.
I’m 42 with a husband and two kids.
None of us are vulnerable.
Not heard anyone else mentioning the risks- does it worry anyone else or are we all happy to just get on with it?

cathyandclare · 14/01/2021 21:41

I've had a similar response .I think it's patient facing, so high exposure to people but for short times and in PPE. I'm early 50s and healthy and ready to take the risk- but according to colleagues many vaccinators get the jab if booked people don't turn up. So relatively short term risk.

TooStressyTooMessy · 14/01/2021 22:09

Not worried personally but I am a HCP so am already exposed anyway. I ignore all such comments and to be fair, haven’t had many once I explain we have PPE. Appreciate the friends / family response might be very different if you were not usually doing that kind of work.

Honestly though, anyone who expressed anything other than joy that I had applied to help with a vaccine would be given short shrift (different if vulnerable though).

Well my vaccine work is on hold as I will be helping with intensive care for the next few weeks. Hoping in the meantime I will be able to work through some of the online learning and who knows, in a few weeks I might even have heard something back!

Stretchoutandwait · 14/01/2021 22:15

I have applied through the NHS professionals non-healthcare route. Has anyone else applied via this route?

I am a scientist but with no clinical experience. I have been in a cushy WFH job for the past year and I’m keen to help out any way I can. I wasn’t sure if they would need me given my lack of direct experience.

Anyway, I completed the two video questions, answered the health question and now I’ve been asked to provide references and complete the (extensive) online training. Once that’s done, what is the next step?

Chardonnay73 · 14/01/2021 22:54

@Frazzled2207 That is exactly the response I have had fin my friends and family! Personally, as I work for the NHS already i have had emails saying we will be called any day for the jab, so it won’t really affect me personally... BUT.. if frontline staff in the NHS are being prioritised, then why aren’t the volunteer vaccinators? Or do they come under the same risk level as say, retail staff?
It’s so hard when you want to do something for the greater good but those closest to you aren’t supporting you 🤷‍♀️

goldpendant · 14/01/2021 22:56

Hi @Stretchoutandwait - welcome!

@Layladylay234 and I have both applied through the same route. I've had my screening done and my DBS certificate arrived a week ago but literally not a peep from NHSP.

Welcome to the wait....!

Olympicfan · 15/01/2021 12:37

DD has had her DBS certificate arrive this morning. Still no face to face training date.

Stretchoutandwait · 15/01/2021 13:13

Sounds like it might be a slow job then. I will make a start on the training this weekend and see how it goes.

Layladylay234 · 15/01/2021 18:55

I've had my DBS through this morning too. Does anyone get the sense that this whole,we need as many people as possible to be vaccinators a bit of a ruse? I remember back in the spring when all those people signed up to be NHS Responders and lots of stories that there was no news. Also heard the same about people working for test and trace, sitting twiddling their thumbs.

Am I being too cynical?

goldpendant · 15/01/2021 19:05

Hi @Layladylay234 I really hope not but think you might be right. Look at the numbers of vaccines they are delivering already.

At £40/head, the DBS would be an expensive waste of money if they don't progress applicants.

Layladylay234 · 15/01/2021 19:33

I'll defo be interested to hear how the people who are volunteering for SJA get along. Maybe they're going down the voluntary route now they've got so many people eager to help.

originalusernamefail · 15/01/2021 19:36

On the bank at my trust but the matrons have had away with all the clinic spots 😢. Will keep on trying!

Layladylay234 · 15/01/2021 19:49

@originalusernamefail

On the bank at my trust but the matrons have had away with all the clinic spots 😢. Will keep on trying!
Do you mean there's no work available cos all the matrons are doing it? That's surprising if so,I wouldn't have thought matrons would have been allowed off the wards to do them!
cathyandclare · 15/01/2021 19:55

@Layladylay234

I've had my DBS through this morning too. Does anyone get the sense that this whole,we need as many people as possible to be vaccinators a bit of a ruse? I remember back in the spring when all those people signed up to be NHS Responders and lots of stories that there was no news. Also heard the same about people working for test and trace, sitting twiddling their thumbs.

Am I being too cynical?

I'm with you! Waited as an NHS Returner in April. Now I've been certified as a vaccinator ( qualified doctor volunteering for SJA) but not called up. It's soul destroying.
originalusernamefail · 15/01/2021 20:05

@Layladylay234 matrons in my trust are not ward based. I'm a trained flu vaccinator so just topped up to covid. All shifts covered until end of April, when I went down there was no one under band 7 working (small trust). I've got to be honest I fancied it because I would get to work in a positive atmosphere, shorter hours and lighter work. I don't dare take in extra ward work as I'm a gnats whisper from burnout and don't want to let my day job down.

Frazzled2207 · 15/01/2021 20:09

I'm not a hcp but have applied for the non-hcp route (as well as volunteer, separately). Gosh I hope all you hcp's who want to get involved do, before folks like me. I was under the impression they wanted tens of thousands of extra bods, and presumably to keep the rest of the nhs going they might still do, but perhaps I'm very naive.

Wincher · 16/01/2021 11:14

@Frazzled2207

People who have had SJA interviews - I have mine finally on monday - how does it work technically? Do I get emailed a link? I have not been emailed anything and can't see anything on the portal other than my time.

@MrBeagles - same here with NHSP except you're further along than me. Done the video interview and not a whisker since.

I just had my interview with SJA this morning. I hadn't heard anything until yesterday when they sent through a Teams link and also the list of questions which was handy! All went fine and I've now had an email welcoming me as a volunteer vaccinator and got the links to the elearning (although the login details will come separately).

yes, I do wonder if there will actually be a need for us! But i can imagine that especially once 12 weeks have passed and they need to effectively double capacity to keep the same numbers going through when people are having their second doses, it will be all hands on deck. Let's just hope they sort the logistics issue with getting the doses into vials.

Frazzled2207 · 16/01/2021 11:35

@wincher
Thank you yes I now have an email and my interview is on Monday. Did they give you any indication as to when you could get started? I suppose this is a marathon not a sprint in that vaccinating will probably be going on all year if not longer but like you am keen to get involved ASAP!

Wincher · 16/01/2021 11:40

They said the elearning takes 6-8 hours (and I can get started on that straight away, and once I've finished that I'll get the link to book onto the NHS face to face training which I think is a day. Not sure of timescales for that part. Then once that's done you get an app (I think?) and available shifts are on that, and you can sign up for the shifts you want. I suppose the question is whether there will be any shifts! But I do know of people volunteering already and they seem to get shifts. I did ask what sorts of centres volunteers are likely to be deployed to - I thought perhaps it would just be the big hubs. My nearest is Excel but it's a total pain to get to from here unless it would be possible to park there! But she said they are being sent to smaller local hubs too.

Frazzled2207 · 16/01/2021 11:41

Thank you for that, really helpful