The Government is considering scrapping compulsory COVID vaccines for health and care workers in England.

Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said the legal requirement for health and social care staff to be double jabbed will be removed, subject to a consultation.

The move has been welcomed by the sector but many warned the U-turn has come to late, with thousands of care workers having already left the profession.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: 'Huge amounts of time and resources, which employers could have spent persuading staff to be vaccinated and on patient care, have been wasted.

'It will now be harder for employers to persuade staff to get jabbed and the unvaccinated public will be less likely to come forward.

'The Government must single-handedly take the blame for aggravating the staffing crisis and pushing care homes to the brink.'