Why are the army not being drafted in to vaccinate?

[boysonthesofa]

I cannot understand why we aren't using military to deliver vaccines. Surely this is what they are for? National emergency! Instead we are waiting on retired medics to come back into service... and we're not ready for next week. This seems like one major Fuck up to come when people realise that not enough people are being jabbed each week... any ideas? It seems nonsensical.

It could be though. We’re victims of our own red tape. Are DBS’s strictly necessary for vaccinations? It’s unlikely people will be left working alone.

This.

Why DBS if you’re not alone?

Why 30 hours training? Surely not all really needed.

We have a TORY government. The very people who apparently stand for getting rid of unnecessary red tape. They could do it tomorrow if they wished. Yet they don’t....

Aren't the Medical Regiments already involved- most HCPs get their clinical experience in hospitals? Husband went to A&E after a fall from his bike the other day and military staff were helping with triage. ( I mean the triage not managing the queues). It was on local news that the Essex hospitals had asked for help from Colchester Garrison following the state of emergency declaration.
As PP stated some troops are on standby to support other Ops.

Some of the courses are just crackers. Prevent terrorism. Safeguarding adults. Then safeguarding children. Even though children can’t have the vaccination so I wouldn’t see one? Am I really likely to pick up on an adult safeguarding issue in a 5 min vaccination slot? Unlikely.

Even if I did as someone on the NMC register (so a nurse or midwife) surely I should be trusted to know what to do?

Am I likely to pick up on a terrorism or radicalism issue in a 5 min vaccination slot. I seriously doubt it.

@78percentLindt

Aren't the Medical Regiments already involved- most HCPs get their clinical experience in hospitals? Husband went to A&E after a fall from his bike the other day and military staff were helping with triage. ( I mean the triage not managing the queues). It was on local news that the Essex hospitals had asked for help from Colchester Garrison following the state of emergency declaration. As PP stated some troops are on standby to support other Ops.

We’ve got army medics in our hospital, have done for weeks. Not for their clinical experience (never had them before) but to cover staff shortages.

I think most of the hospital experience is gained at hospitals near the Medical Regiment bases but presumably they can be used elsewhere.
Some of those nurses and CMTs are brilliant.

It doesn’t surprise me that some jobsworth within the NHS is demanding someone does terrorism training, or diversity training, they need to make it as complex as possible so that they can justify their own roles and tick boxing.

I worked as a supplier to the NHS for over 30 years and they almost always made things extremely difficult for themselves (and us!) and the speed they worked at was shocking.

The army are geared up and ready to go. It's the availability of the doses that are the problem. We don't have enough doses to require the help of the army at this stage. I really don't know why, wasn't we promised 10 million at the least by the end of the year.

@Bathroom12345 I hear that. It’s bad enough the clowns we have in parliament; I don’t think people are fully aware of how ingrained show boating and busy work are in the levels of management in the NHS. Coordination isn’t a strong point.

Although I must add that this generally isn’t a failing of medics or anyone actually tasked with getting a tangible job done but it’s a recognisable thorn in their side.

The idea of leadership in certain sectors is badly corrupted and warped to the point of harmful now we find ourselves deep in a disaster situation.

I applied - I'm not medically trained but have done years as a health care assistant as a student and met the criteria for a non medical vaccinator. I haven't heard anything. I have another job but would work through the night if needed to move things on.
I know a number of retired GPs that have also applied through medical route. They haven't heard either
I really hope they have too many people and we're going to wait until they were needed to press go - rather than being disorganised ..

They are disorganised. I used to present a new contract which for example saved them 20% of spend and they had many many meetings, often attended by 15 people (I joke not) and it went quiet for months, then they would call another meeting with some people from the initial meeting and some new people. We were a BIG supplier within the trust. Think big FTSE company so there was little risk in making decisions.

I told them any savings would not be backdated but they didn’t listen. It was all about cottage industries.

So, no I wouldn’t be happy paying any more tax. Not with the current model.

I'm classed as a reservist as I did afew year in the RAF as a driver and I expected a call up in March when this first kicked off but I've heard nothing. The lack of organisation is scary.
My daughter told me yesterday some of the vaccinations has already been destroyed before use according to the news

There aren’t thousands and thousands of soldiers just sat around waiting for someone to ask them to do something. Most of them are quite busy protecting this country from things other than Covid and supporting people around the world. The army have said they can provide assistance to vaccinate 100,000 people per day - hardly anything.

The covid testing centres are fully staffed and pretty much deserted. Why they aren't being used to vaccinate people I have no idea.
But then, the front line staff working in actual hospitals haven't been vaccinated yet. That is why so many of them are off sick or isolating.
Talk about one complete shambles after another.

Tonight the army should be out breaking up parties!
It's beyond selfish.

I appreciate that @springdale1, I’d still have more confidence in the military at least coordinating the vaccination response.

We so badly need decisive leadership.

Having spent the last 3 weeks trying to support GPs to start vaccinating, literally anyone would have done a better job than the complete shit show that is NHS England.

The Politics of rushing it out so we could be first has caused a completely unsustainable model of delivery.