How are people’s vaccinator job applications going?

[JacobReesMogadishu]

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!

@MoiraNotRuby

Can I ask something? I've applied to do this as volunteer via St John Ambulance. Would this be taking away paid jobs from NHS staff, does anyone know? I want to help the NHS not undermine it. I have no experience in healthcare whatsoever, other than being a first aider at work for donkeys years.

No, please carry on. We need all the help we can get. Thanks for volunteering. There won’t be enough people.

Thanks, I will carry on (hoping to hear back about training) - good luck.

As I'm paediatric I only have only basic adult BLS. And only level 1 adult safeguarding I believe. So probably would have to do a lot of extra. 😬

My DD has applied to be a vaccinator in central London.

She is a 20yr old humanities student with no healthcare experience, just bags of common sense, willingness to learn and help out in the national interest.

She applied last week, heard back straight away, did about 10 hours of online training that she found really useful and felt she fully understands the role. She had to upload the training certificates then fill in a full application form including 4 referees.

It will be interesting how far she gets with so many highly experienced healthcare professionals ready and willing to give vaccines but finding all the red tape a nonsense.

@Olympicfan

My DD has applied to be a vaccinator in central London.

She is a 20yr old humanities student with no healthcare experience, just bags of common sense, willingness to learn and help out in the national interest.

She applied last week, heard back straight away, did about 10 hours of online training that she found really useful and felt she fully understands the role. She had to upload the training certificates then fill in a full application form including 4 referees.

It will be interesting how far she gets with so many highly experienced healthcare professionals ready and willing to give vaccines but finding all the red tape a nonsense.

Who has she applied through? I’m beginning to think I might be better off applying as a non HCP! 🤷‍♀️ Which is bonkers. St. John ambulance website says they’re not recruiting yet.

SJA emailed me in mid December asking for volunteers, they've not been very well organised though. I got my DBS processed quickly but no one seems to know when the training will be.

Coronavirus: Medics complain of 'bureaucracy' in bid to join Covid vaccine effort www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55516277

Ahh the BBC are running this story this evening

I do completely understand why all the modules are required. My gripe is at having to do them yet again when I do them annually already!

An NHS spokesman added: "It is categorically untrue that there are any delays in Covid vaccination caused by accrediting volunteers or returners."

Only because currently there’s limited vaccines. Once they’ve got the mythical 2 million doses a week available I’d like to see how they cope. Total shit show.

It makes me so mad. Even when the issue is raised the nhs response is “this training is necessary “. Is it bollocks. I’m so glad at times like this I left the nhs....it’s the bloody bureaucracy which infuriated me when I worked for them.

@JacobReesMogadishu DD just googled 'Vaccinator jobs' and it took her to the NHS jobs website. www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916282799

It says:

Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is needed, if you don’t have a current DBS we will apply for one as part of the application process
We are specifically seeking applicants who are not currently working within the NHS for this project and no healthcare experience is required
The service is anticipated to be delivered in shifts including evenings and weekends. Minimum commitment of 8-12 hours in a week. Flexibility is appreciated
Pay is expected to be commensurate with Band 3/4 Mid-Point Agenda for Change rates for vaccinators
Due to the high demand we anticipate for these roles, please allow up to 14 days for us to process your application
At present, we cannot confirm start dates for vaccine rollout or start of training

Thanks, none being advertised near me.

@scousemouse13

I do completely understand why all the modules are required. My gripe is at having to do them yet again when I do them annually already!

Exactly!!

thanks to all who are pursuing an application to either work or volunteer despite the difficulties. Our lives and businesses are totally dependent on you guys now.

Yay, managed to do some more training today. Did the Astra Zeneca vaccine training, plus adult safe guarding, conflict resolution and a few others before my computer started freezing again.
Might consider doing it at 2am just to get the things done as it shouldn’t be busy then!! This is me, driven to drink!!

@Olympicfan

My DD has applied to be a vaccinator in central London.

She is a 20yr old humanities student with no healthcare experience, just bags of common sense, willingness to learn and help out in the national interest.

She applied last week, heard back straight away, did about 10 hours of online training that she found really useful and felt she fully understands the role. She had to upload the training certificates then fill in a full application form including 4 referees.

It will be interesting how far she gets with so many highly experienced healthcare professionals ready and willing to give vaccines but finding all the red tape a nonsense.

This is crazy! I assumed it would be qualified doctors and nurses doing vaccines, perhaps HCA's. Now they're accepting randoms off the street?? What will they do should someone have an anaphylactic reaction? This again would require administering another medication along with the basic medical care required. How will they be able to assess contraindications to the vaccine? How...just how?? Don't get me wrong, it isn't the fault of the people who are applying, I'm grateful to them. But Jesus...

So we have qualified doctors and nurses whose current education and skillset aren't enough and some who have stuck their hands up and said, yes I'll do it and are being ignored/rebuffed yet some random person off the street is getting accepted to administer medication which can potentially have life threatening side effects? With a few hours learning off a computer?? What is wrong with our NHS?? As @JacobReesMogadishu has said, I really hope a journalist picks up this thread...

I would imagine she would need to be supervised until signed off as competent. Part of assessing that competency should be asking questions around those scenarios. I think that’s what the band 6 role is. I applied for both as felt there would be likely more work at the band 5 level as more needed per shift than the 6 where potentially only one required per 12 hour shift.

More worryingly is the fact that all HCps would usually have a full occupational health screen to ensure immunity to numerous diseases and blood borne infections. I wonder who would take responsibility for this in this situation as needlestick injuries would in theory be even more common in newly trained individuals. Are they just expected to accept responsibility for the outcome themselves when this happens?
similarly if they’re not screened as its costly or too time consuming in trying to get the scheme rolled out how can the nhs be certain they’re not passing those diseases on? I really hope they have considered this.

@scousemouse13 I would imagine that she would need to be supervised as well, but in reality, if they are taking on a whole load of these vaccinators at once, how are they going to have enough band 6s to give them continuous one on one supervision until they are deemed competent? They won't. And if they do, then the band 6s would be as well just doing the vaccinations themselves. And what about if there is an adverse side effect? Do they just holler on the nurse to come and deal with it and hope he/she isn't busy dealing with another one of their supervisees?

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

So we have qualified doctors and nurses whose current education and skillset aren't enough and some who have stuck their hands up and said, yes I'll do it and are being ignored/rebuffed yet some random person off the street is getting accepted to administer medication which can potentially have life threatening side effects? With a few hours learning off a computer?? What is wrong with our NHS?? As *@JacobReesMogadishu* has said, I really hope a journalist picks up this thread...

Basically yes! Madness isn't it.

@Olympicfan

My DD has applied to be a vaccinator in central London.

She is a 20yr old humanities student with no healthcare experience, just bags of common sense, willingness to learn and help out in the national interest.

She applied last week, heard back straight away, did about 10 hours of online training that she found really useful and felt she fully understands the role. She had to upload the training certificates then fill in a full application form including 4 referees.

It will be interesting how far she gets with so many highly experienced healthcare professionals ready and willing to give vaccines but finding all the red tape a nonsense.

Due respect for your dd, but when I am called for my vaccination I hope I get someone with far more experience of giving an injection at the other end of the syringe than your well meaning daughter. Ideally I would like the HCP who does the blood samples at my gps surgery, now there is someone who knows how to wield a painless needle, even if she is more used to extracting rather than injecting!

So pleased to have found this thread!

I've done all the training (took me approx 12 hours total I think but I must have been lucky with internet, nothing froze).

I've applied for vaccinator (non healthcare), and so far;

• expresses interest in Nov
• lots of holding emails including pay reduction
• completed basic questionnaire about my background
• completed online 'interview' - two responses to set questions that I recorded and submitted.
• confirmed I wasn't shielding
• told to complete training
• completed training, do identify checks with Sterling.
• now, tumbleweed- no idea if I'll be offered anything at all and no acknowledgement of everything I've submitted.

It's frustrating to say the least!

Worse than this. I’ve just realised today that the retired and returning clinicians they appealed to for helping with this will get paid the same lower rate as the random person off the street with zero previous experience. Both groups are obviously needed but it must be quite shocking to those with plenty of previous experience but who aren’t currently registered in their profession for whatever reason to be lumped together with those with no experience whatsoever. I can understand how devalued that would make them feel and possibly contribute to them not wanting to jump through all these hoops and just give up.
Does anyone know who is the lead person for this rollout? I feel like I want to email some of my thoughts and concerns about all of this.

@scousemouse13 tbh I’m probably one of those hcps you are talking about. Started nursing in 1981, also qualified as a midwife.
I will be paid at lowest band 5. But I don’t care. I’m just desperate to get as many people vaccinated as I can. I have no childcare duties/caring duties. They can flog me for 24 hours per day, I just don’t care. Just let me get on with the job I am qualified to do.
Give vaccines to people in need - now.

They are most of the jobs advertised in our area, not sure of others.
It's £10 ph and you need the equivalent of a level 3 in social care.