The Prime Minister has tasked ministers to work closely with
their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency
planning so that disruption caused by increased COVID-19
infection is minimised in public services and supply chains.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, , is chairing regular meetings
with ministers to closely monitor the impacts of Omicron on
workforces and supply chains and monitor schools ahead of the
return of pupils in the new year.
The government is also working with the public and private sector
to develop plans to manage absences in order to ensure sectors
are prepared and disruption is minimised.
The Committee has already agreed a number of interventions and
will meet regularly to monitor developments and agree where
further action needs to be taken.
So far, disruption caused by Omicron has been controlled in most
parts of the public sector, but public sector leaders have been
asked to test plans against worst case scenarios of workforce
absence scenarios of 10%, 20% and 25%.
They have identified a range of mitigations, including
identifying additional staff - such as volunteers in the public
sector or former teachers in schools -prioritising service
delivery and reducing bureaucracy.
While the booster programme continues to go from strength to
strength, with more than 33 million people - almost two-thirds of
adults in the UK - now receiving their third dose, the high
levels of positive COVID-19 cases and increased transmissibility
of Omicron could mean that UK businesses and public services face
disruption over the coming weeks.
With a third vaccine dose boosting protection by up to 75%, all
government departments, led by the Department for Health and
Social Care, are also renewing efforts to make sure that critical
public sector and key workers get their booster jabs.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said:
As people return to work following the Christmas break, the high
transmissibility levels of Omicron mean business and public
services will face disruption in the coming weeks, particularly
from higher than normal staff absence.
We have been working through the Christmas period to prepare
where possible for this, with all departments liaising closely
with public and private sector leaders who are best placed to
operationally manage their workforces.
The best way to combat Omicron is to get boosted and I encourage
anyone who is eligible to get boosted now.
A number of steps have already been taken to minimise any
potential workforce or supply chain disruption, including:
- reducing the isolation period from 10 to 7 days with 2
negative tests
- introducing daily contact testing to prevent widespread need
for self-isolation where someone hasn’t tested positive for
COVID-19
- investing over £462 million to support workforce recruitment
and retention in the adult social care sector
- using digital staff passports for NHS staff which allow them
to move between hospitals easily
- extending the Infection Control Fund until March 2022 to
support staff self-isolation payments, testing and covering the
costs of staff vaccination in care homes, supported by £388
million
- boosting the numbers of HGV drivers through quicker testing
and skills bootcamps
- asking qualified teachers who are no longer in the profession
to sign-up to temporarily fill absences and support schools to
remain open in the new term
- adding care worker roles to the Shortage Occupation List to
bolster our social care workforce
- working to speed up the registration of overseas nurses to
practice in the UK - as a result 800 nurses have been able to
register with the Nurse and Midwifery Council this week alone
Regular data is being fed into the Cabinet Office to identify
early any potential disruption and take any steps to mitigate
them. The contingency planning utilises the New Government
Situation Centre and a central taskforce of civil servants based
in the Cabinet Office and working across government and with the
devolved administrations.
Should disruption occur the government stands ready to make sure
that any necessary burdens to businesses are cut. There is work
ongoing to identify potential regulatory, policy or operational
changes which could minimise or alleviate potential disruption.
