The government has launched a new consultation on compulsory vaccination for practice staff working in England, it has been announced.

It is considering making both COVID and flu vaccination compulsory for all frontline health staff, including those working in the NHS and GP practices. Currently 12% of NHS staff have not had two doses of COVID vaccination. Last year’s proportion have flu vaccine – 76% – was a record and the rate remains as low as 53% in some settings. Unions agreed that staff should be vaccinated – but raised concerns about making it compulsory.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Many patients being treated in hospitals and other clinical settings are most at risk of suffering serious consequences of COVID-19 and we must do what we can to protect them. It’s so clear to see the impact vaccines have against respiratory viruses which can be fatal to the vulnerable, and that’s why we’re exploring mandatory vaccines for both COVID-19 and flu.”

British Medical Association public health committee co-chair Dr Penelope Toff said: “The notions of making vaccines compulsory for anyone, including healthcare workers, is very complex and raises many ethical, legal and practical questions. Vaccination programmes work best when people have a chance to get their questions answered and are able to make an informed decision. A proposal for compulsory vaccination of healthcare staff against Covid-19 and flu has far-reaching implications. It’s also important to understand that being vaccinated against COVID-19 doesn’t always prevent a person passing on the infection, so that when rates are high, other preventative measure, such as masks would also be needed. However, even if you have had the Covid-19 infection, vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself and others.

“We know that both Covid-19 and flu vaccine uptake among doctors remains high but that there are also small numbers of staff who are unable or unwilling to have the vaccines. There are a number of reasons for this and it’s important that all views are taken into consideration in this consultation.”