How long does it take to process an NHS Vaccinator application?

Boris Johnson has announced that he intends to ramp up the NHS Booster jab vaccination Programme, but doesn’t he need vaccinators to do that?

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I applied to become an NHS vaccinator in January 2021 in response to the government requesting skilled healthcare workers to come forward to help with the Covid-19 Vaccination programme.

As a former NHS Midwife, I have the skills required to administer injections, and I thought, why not? I’m available, so I applied.

The job is a bank zero-hour contract with the option to work as many shifts as you want. The NHS is a massive organisation, and there are obvious criteria you need to meet before starting; As a former NHS worker, I knew this would be a long, drawn-out process, but I was okay with that- I had four-six weeks in mind.

The initial application is an online form detailing employment history and skill set — standard stuff.

In addition to submitting my vaccinator application form there is a recorded video interview to do. You have two questions to answer and two chances to upload your video recorded answer.

It was two months before I heard anything further.

Next, I was given a log-in to the NHS Professionals training modules. Each module takes around an hour and a half to complete, and you need to gain 80% or above to pass. The NHS job application tracker updates simply stated that my application was being processed.

To date, I’ve spent thirty-six plus hours on the mandatory modules.

Once you’ve completed and passed the training modules, you have to upload the evidence to the course provider before moving on to the next stage of the application process.

I completed all of the modules within two weeks.

Here is a list of the mandatory online training modules that I have completed:

• Conflict Resolution — Level 1Data Security Awareness — Level 1
• Data Security Awareness Survey
• Equality and Diversity and Human Rights — Level 1
• Fire Safety — Level 1
• Infection Prevention and Control — Level 1
• Infection Prevention and Control — Level 2
• Health, Safety and Welfare — Level 1
• Moving and Handling — Level 1
• Moving and Handling eAssessment — Level 2
• Preventing Radicalisation — Basic Prevent Awareness
• Preventing Radicalisation — Awareness of Prevent (Level 3)
• Preventing Radicalisation (Mental Health) — Level 3
• Resuscitation — Level 1
• Resuscitation Adults — Level 2
• Safeguarding Adults — Level 1
• Safeguarding Adults — Level 2
• Safeguarding Children — Level 1
• Safeguarding Children — Level 2
• Health Education England Learning Path
• An Introduction to Anaphylaxis
• Recognising and Managing Anaphylaxis
• Core Knowledge for COVID-19 Vaccinators
• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty)
• AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax)
• Paediatric procedural anxiety module for COVID-19 vaccinations
• Resources to support COVID-19 vaccinators and volunteers with patient conversations
• National Immunisation Policy and Programmes
• Immunology
• Vaccine Preventable Diseases
• Communicating with Patients, Parents and Carers
• Legal Aspects
• Vaccine Storage
• Vaccine Administration

The next part of the application process is applying for an enhanced DBS certificate. This takes approximately two-three weeks to receive.

Following receipt of my Enhanced DBS certificate, I was sent an Occupational Health clearance form to fill out.

I returned the competed Occupational Health clearance form the same day. These things are not a quick tick-box five-minute thing — no, it takes a while to collate all of the information they are asking for! They need to know when you had all the necessary vaccinations required to work in the NHS.

Fortunately for me, as a former NHS healthcare professional, I have a professional portfolio that details all of my vaccinations to date.

I didn’t hear anything further about my application for two months. Then, out of the blue, I received a phone call from an Occupational Health nurse asking me to book an appointment with the Occupational Health department to discuss my form. I asked for the next available appointment, which was three weeks away.

The Occupational Health appointment turned out to be a formality, and I passed. The Occupational Health nurse on the phone told me that she would forward my ‘fit to work’ paperwork onto the next stage.

I didn’t hear anything further until five weeks ago; a telephone call asking if I could start work either next week or the week after? I replied next week will be fine.

Two weeks later, I received another phone call asking for my availability and how many hours I wanted to work. I replied I’m available whenever you need me and for as many hours as you need me.

Two weeks later, I received an email asking me to confirm if I was still available by return email. I replied that I was keen to start at their convenience.

Next I received an email from the local trust H.R. Department requesting I produce my DBS and I.D. documents. I jumped into the car and immediately presented my documents to the H.R. department at the local hospital.

Last week I received an email requesting me to fill out yet more forms — A pre-placement monitoring form and a ‘Model Declaration Form’, which I returned immediately. In addition to the two forms, I was asked to choose one of the next available training days. I replied that I was available for all of the days. I’ve heard nothing further.

We are now eleven months since I applied to become a vaccinator, and I’m still waiting for a start date. I’ve emailed and texted. The communications they send out do not have a return telephone number.

So I’m in limbo. I’m guessing that the administration is short-staffed?

December 2021.