Thread by @ShaunLintern

Later this week, thousands of NHS staff will start getting dismissal letters because they haven't had a Covid jab. But with chronic workforce shortages, there are real fears for #patientsafety. Now @thesundaytimes has learned hospitals may be allowed to break the rules 🧵1/5

In some areas, like maternity, there are real worries that dismissing unvaccinated staff could leave services unsafe and breaching existing regulations on safety. Trusts have been told to inform the watchdog @CareQualityComm if that's the case, but what happens then? 2/5

Now the CQC has made clear its view to @thesundaytimes - the new rules on unvaccinated staff do not supersede existing safety regulations - so if NHS bosses decide after a risk assessment that its more unsafe to dismiss unvaccinated staff, the regulator won't take action. 3/5

But how do you balance one competing law with another? @TotterdellJac says hospital CEOs are being put between "a rock and a hard place" and warns in maternity for example, she can't ask babies to wait a few months if her trust struggles to maintain safety 4/5

Full story in @thesundaytimes: Unvaccinated NHS staff could remain on NHS wards amid wider patient safety fears: 5/5 thetimes.co.uk/article/bc203c…