A SOUTH Cumbrian care home manager has said more time is needed before the 'No Jab, No Job' policy comes into effect.

Care workers have until November 11 to be double jabbed, or they face being banned from entering care homes in England.

The Old Vicarage's business manager Kamal Siddiqi, based in Grange, said that not enough time has been given to inform staff of their choices, or for replacement staff to be found.

He said: "Ten per cent of my staff haven't had the vaccine for a variety of reasons, they are still a bit concerned and have queries and they haven't been provided the answers.

"My personal opinion is that it has happened too fast and that they haven't done enough of an information campaign. You can find things online but it is all confusing and contradicting." "I am going to lose experienced staff if I can't find information for them. This is a cause for concern because it's hard to recruit at the moment as it is. Hospital workers don't currently need to have the vaccine so people can go and work for the NHS which is frustrating.

"I personally think that vaccines are good. They should delay it (the policy) to give more time to inform people. Or maybe if they said 80-85 per cent of staff are to be vaccinated, that would be good enough, that would give us enough leeway." He would also like the policy to be delayed for a few more months so that there will be time to recruit replacements for those who leave.