Over 1,100 returner GPs have signed up to support local Covid vaccination services, NHS England (NHSE) has said.
In its primary care bulletin (16 February), NHSE thanked all staff who have come forward and said it was keen to encourage their use within PCN sites.
‘Those who have responded have been provided with the lead provider and PCN/CCG contact details to discuss how they can support the services,’ the bulletin said.
Last month, NHSE announced that it was cutting the administrative process behind getting retired or former NHS staff involved in Covid-19 efforts.
This included removing six of the 19 forms returning staff previously had to complete, with NHSE cutting proof of training in conflict resolution, equality and diversity, fire safety and preventing radicalisation.
Public Health England (PHE) has previously said that it may be necessary to ‘rapidly train people who have not vaccinated for some time’.
Under its Covid vaccinator training recommendations, PHE said that if a registered practitioner is returning to vaccination after a prolonged period they will require specific training relating to the Covid vaccine, its storage, and legal aspects regarding consent.
Last year, Management in Practice’s sister title Pulse reported that GPs wishing to return to the NHS as part of the Bringing Back Staff programme, which opened in March 2020, were caught up in red tape for weeks.
On its website, NHSE said of its current recruitment process: ‘If you have come forward to support the vaccination programme and not yet been assigned, please bear in mind that this is a long-term programme and local NHS organisations will be continuing to bring people on board. For now, you do not need to do anything further.’
