An NHS Trust has essentially put in a ‘last-call’ for its healthcare staff to be vaccinated, ahead a deadline where unvaccinated workers could face the sack.

The West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust says that it will “do all we can” to support its staff to get vaccinated.

Staff had the chance to attend a walk-in clinic at Watford General Hospital yesterday (January 27), with another staff walk-in taking place next Wednesday (February 2) – ahead of February 3, the last date NHS workers would be able to get their first dose.

Frontline staff in the NHS and registered social care settings will be required by law to be fully vaccinated by April 1, unless they are exempt.

Then March 31 will be the last date an NHS worker can get their second dose.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the Government is “reflecting” on next week’s deadline, following protests and calls for it to be delayed amid fears thousands of staff could be forced to leave their roles at a time of high demand.

New figures from NHS England show that 127,515 NHS and domiciliary care staff working in registered settings still have not had a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

In fact, figures show that one in 20 staff (5.1 per cent) at NHS trusts in England have not had a first dose as of January 23, but this is likely to include some people who currently do not hold frontline jobs.

When Mr Javid was pressed if the words “under review” means that the Government is considering to scrap the new rules, he said: “We’re reflecting on it because we do have to accept that the virus has changed.

“It’s moved from Delta to Omicron, and I’ve been very open about that reflection, but it is still absolutely right that people that are working in the NHS, working in social care, carry out their professional duty, which is to do all that they can to put patient safety first, and that means getting vaccinated.”