Current Recruitment of Retired Doctors and Nurses suggest unnecessary bureaucracy .
Extraordinary circumstances require an extraordinary response.
Never has there been a need to fast track a willing previously qualified workforce so swiftly that they are in a state of readiness to respond to this National Emergency, yet there is a suggestion that a business as usual response is hampering this initiative.
Doctors and Nurses ( me being one retired this March) should have been fast tracked on a recruitment program and not put on the same program as a normal long term applicant.
Training requirements demonstrate the need for an update on Core knowledge of Vaccinations, storage, preparation, administration, anaphylaxis and resuscitation these are vital but this could have been covered in a half day session.
The other half day could have covered to administrate Photo ID and badge preparation the provision of scrub suits/ uniforms and the gathering of any other human resource crucial personal details.
Now with this group of trained clinical staff on vaccination that have returned from retirement bringing with them their careers expertise a hugely experienced workforce could have been swiftly mobilised.
With this workforce geared up a National Plea could have been made by Public Health England calling all those that want a vaccination.
With the collaboration of business and industry and the Red Cross, large venues or supermarkets could have been commandeered for administration of the vaccine ( Ideally outside with Gazebos) .This call up would not be age restricted as in this way you vaccinate a cross section of society thus spreading the range of the heard immunity to preempt the known mutations of this virus.
Facilities would be socially spread with seating arrangements allowing the sufficient time lapse of possible anaphylaxis. The Public would be asked to come with photo ID / passport NHS number and fill a simple form of their GP practice details, for forward communication.
On completing of the vaccination the individual would be issued with a vaccination passport indicating their next booster date and for them to keep for the records.
The New Vaccination Workforce details could form a Register.
With all staffs agreement to stay on this register strategically this may prove to be a vital contingency for the future. If such a register is established it should be complied in such a way that it can be accessed by a search engine. In this way should the need arise in the future like a National Emergency or Major Incident the skills and qualifications and location of these staff can accessed and targeted to the location of need at ease. Too often I hear of Acute Trusts calling a Major Incident and know that this means calling on their off duty tired staff, when a fresh pair of hands could make all the difference.
This could be a very positive outcome from such a disastrous Corona Event.
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