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!

Unfortunately I don't know who the lead for this rollout @scousemouse13 but if you find out, please let us know as I'd be keen to air my concerns also. It is so very insulting, a nurse or doctor with 30+ years experience as a healthcare professional paid the same for providing medical treatment as Joe Bloggs who has been pulled in off the street after doing a piddly online course.

Apologies I didn’t mean to confuse or mislead anyone and my knowledge is based on nursing but if you are still currently registered its band 5, if you left in last 5 years you can join the temporary emergency register and it is also hand 5. But anyone who left their profession over 5 years ago is band3 or 4 and treated the same as someone off the street. Irrespective of their previous experience. That’s the part I feel is wrong.

They might not be Joe Bloggs off the street though, the pre questions I completed wanted to know my highest qualification (MSc), my career experience, etc etc. I don't think they are giving these roles to just anyone 'off the street'. I find that quite insulting to those of us wanting to help support the NHS get these vaccines out.

@goldpendant

They might not be Joe Bloggs off the street though, the pre questions I completed wanted to know my highest qualification (MSc), my career experience, etc etc. I don't think they are giving these roles to just anyone 'off the street'. I find that quite insulting to those of us wanting to help support the NHS get these vaccines out.

You could have an PhD in astrophysics however you are still Joe Bloggs off the street if you have no experience whatsoever in clinical healthcare. It's extremely worrying.

I am a Physiotherapist- I have applied as a vaccinator after being approached by a locum agency.
I did my ILS and AIM course last month in my current role. However I need to redo all my mandatory training for this position. I have a start date of February but that is my choice when my current contract ends.
I’ll watch this thread with interest as to how everyone gets on.

Does anyone know anyone doing the vaccines now ? How are they finding it ?

I am sure my DD will get full training and be supervised. She just wants to do her bit and is happy to work evenings, through the night, weekends etc to help vaccinate as many as possible.

If you or I were diagnosed as type 1 diabetic, we would quickly have to learn how to inject.

This is a specific role and a specific procedure. Without people (drs, nurses, vets, pharmacists or civilian volunteers) stepping up to be trained we could be dealing with this virus for years. I am proud that my DD wants to do this. I could not do it.

I would happily have DD vaccinate me rather than risk being on ICU on a ventilator.

I'm sure she will get training (what kind of training though I shudder to think). That ventilator that you talk about though; would you be happy for DD to do a bit of online training and supervision and then carry out that specific procedure? I bet not.

There is so much more to vaccinations than jabbing someone with a needle and sending them on their way. It's bloody scary that they're letting lay people do this and I for one will be querying the vaccinators qualifications before I let them administer the vaccine to me. I mean even basics such as a slightly wrong calculation while drawing up the vaccine or a slight mistake while reconstituting it. Or incorrect injection technique? What happens if a life threatening mistake is made? The person off the street just holds their hands up and goes oops! There is no professional accountability whatsoever.

It's great that your DD has picked up a job to help out; it's the NHS and their shortsightedness who I have the issue with, not individuals such as your daughter picking up a job for a bit of extra money.

I would say I would not put myself forward if it wasn’t for 20 years experience as a physiotherapist and dealing with patients who have collapsed often in my job. I’ve also worked on a stroke unit throughout 2020 so used to PPE and Covid procedures.
My friend isn’t in healthcare but has volunteered as admin which seems much safer.

Watching this thread with interest. I’m dithering over whether to join the temp Covid register (I left the nursing register 5yrs ago), or to apply directly for vaccinator post. Some of my dithering is just trying to navigate the usual sludge bucket that is NHS recruitment, and now I’m tempted to hold fire for a wee bit to see if they scale back the requirements to do all this training. I don’t mind doing the stuff that’s directly relevant but it does seem a bit of a stretch to be doing the Prevent stuff etc for the role. I can’t help thinking would the army be having to do all this if they were called in to do it?! It’s not confidence inspiring, especially as they’ve had the best part of a year to plan for this moment.

Im afraid I’m another non-healthcare provider who has applied - I’ve been made redundant and would like to do something useful with my time. I’ve actually applied both to the NHS and to St Johns Ambulance. I won’t be offended if either or both says thanks but no thanks. I kind of thought there is so much demand for nurses and other HCPs to actually treat patients right now that they might need non-HCPs to step forward to do the vaccinating. Anyway, I’ll see what they say (only just applied today).

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

I'm sure she will get training (what kind of training though I shudder to think). That ventilator that you talk about though; would you be happy for DD to do a bit of online training and supervision and then carry out that specific procedure? I bet not.

There is so much more to vaccinations than jabbing someone with a needle and sending them on their way. It's bloody scary that they're letting lay people do this and I for one will be querying the vaccinators qualifications before I let them administer the vaccine to me. I mean even basics such as a slightly wrong calculation while drawing up the vaccine or a slight mistake while reconstituting it. Or incorrect injection technique? What happens if a life threatening mistake is made? The person off the street just holds their hands up and goes oops! There is no professional accountability whatsoever.

It's great that your DD has picked up a job to help out; it's the NHS and their shortsightedness who I have the issue with, not individuals such as your daughter picking up a job for a bit of extra money.

She wouldn’t be drawing up the vaccine. There’s different roles and it’s the HCP only roles who do the drawing up and reconstituting. I don’t know what the practical training for injection technique for non HCPs is. However I teach student nurses to give IM injections. There is no much to it.....especially as they will only need to learn one injection site for covid. Anyone can be taught to give an IM injection safely in ten minutes. It’s not rocket science....especially when they won’t be involved in any medicines management or doing the checks for suitably for the vaccine....all that will be done by someone else.

I’d be perfectly happy (and very grateful) for a non-HCP to give me the vaccine. As said, there will be HCPs around if required and the non-HCPs will probably not be making up the vaccines.

A family member who works in private practice as a phlebotomist amongst other things has applied for this. They have reached a stage for an online video interview thats says it is made up of two questions and lasts 5 minutes but they don't have a webcam!!!

Anyone know what the questions are?

This is dreadful. I expressed an interest with NHSP but also applied directly to my local trust and was interviewed and offered the band 6 supervisor role with them so haven’t progressed with NHSP.

I was wary of NHSP because of the debacle that was joining them as a clinical contact tracer. Seems the organisation has not improved.

If any of your local trust as are recruiting I’d recommend applying directly. It’s been very straightforward so far, interview via video call, clearances done quickly and online training all completed (happily they also accepted training done elsewhere and didn’t insist on a re-do). I’m expecting to agree a start date next week.

Non-clinical CCG worker here, I applied via NHSP in November and have just been sent the training modules via e-lfh. Nothing is transferable, it’s all got to be done again.

I knew it would be a shit show but I didn’t expect this degree of utter thoughtlessness.

I want to pursue it, even though I’m juggling working officially 3 days a week (more like full time hours) and home schooling. But I’m angry that more thought hasn’t been put into this. It’s like they have put in deliberate blocks to discourage people from helping.

@AwaAnBileYerHeid I have to draw up and mix my medication, swap needles etc and inject myself weekly. Training - I watched a nurse do it once and then a couple of YouTube videos

Andrew Marr brought this up with Boris on the Andrew Marr Show this morning. Boris said that the more irrelevant training (I guess such as prevention of radicalisation) was not necessary - guess that’s unlikely to translate into actual action though.

I was thinking of applying as a volunteer - ex HCP with over 30 years experience including paediatric and adult cannulation so I’m presuming vaccination wouldn’t be any more difficult than that, but I’m loath to be doing hours and hours of e-learning with no guarantee of acceptance. I think I’m deregistered now anyway and don’t have any up to date mandatory training. Frankly I’d be just as happy to do marshalling.

Age-wise I am slightly higher risk so I probably wouldn’t want to do it without being vaccinated given the number and proximity of people you would come into contact with.

If you are interested in volunteering there are opportunities available via St. John’s ambulance and they are apparently looking for 10,000 volunteers to vaccinate and no experience necessary! There is about 3 days worth of training. I haven’t applied to that but have put myself forward as a helper. The initial application form is ok only complicated bit is needing a pic of your ID and DBS (if you have one- they say they can organise if not)

Managed to complete my preventing radicalisation this morning at an early hour (computer didn’t freeze this time). The actual assessment just took 5 mins but it’s taken me 3 days to do because of computer freezing!!

Safe guarding children and manual handling left to go...computer freezing up a little now so will take a break.

Put in an application for a vaccinator with SJA this morning, think it may be a better bet for me after several years out of clinical medicine.

The NHS jobs paperwork defeated me, I'm happy to do the courses, but as a self-employed non-clinical worker the work-experience sections/grade/salary boxes are difficult, I just don't fit the boxes. I understand the difficulties, it's much more straightforward to recruit recent clinical workers.

@cathyandclare good luck.

Thanks! I also got over myself and finished the NHS one, it only needs 5 GCSEs as a qualification but it was unbelievably long and complicated. Way worse than anything medical I've done!

I heard on the radio that an ex surgeon volunteered and was given the position as a car park steward

Applied for a volunteer vaccinator role with SJA this morning, just confirmed an interview for Friday, much quicker than I expected!