More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
NHS services in Kent are calling for people to apply for work on the mass coronavirus vaccination programme - which could start as early as next month.
As the country waits in anticipation for the three proposed vaccines to be approved by regulators, the NHS is already gearing up to roll them out as early as December.
As well as vaccinators, the health service is also calling to recruit administrators, front-of-house staff, drivers and operations managers for paid roles.
There are a range of roles you can apply for with differing levels of experience being sorted into different bands.
Qualified vaccinators, registered healthcare professionals or allied health professionals (AHP) will be sorted into bands 5 and 6 - depending on if they have supervisory experience.
You can also apply to be a band 4 vaccinator if you are a recently retired health professional, a health or medical student, a non-registered healthcare professional with some vaccination experience or have advanced Basic Life Support training and experience working with the public.
Non-registered healthcare professionals can also sign on to work as band 3 vaccination support making sure all is safe, clean and organised for vaccinations to go ahead.
Those with no medical experience can also sign on as admin support or cleaning roles.
Those applying will need to work flexible hours including weekends and evenings across multiple sites - including temporary and mobile ones.
Depending on the role, those signing up can earn anywhere between £9.89 and £16.97 an hour.
For more information on the roles available, click here.
The UK has currently ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer jab and expects 10 million doses by the end of the year. The vaccine, which has been reported to be 95% effective, is currently being assessed by the Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The UK has also ordered 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine, with promising results expected by Christmas, and five million doses of a jab from US firm Moderna, which will publish results in the spring.
There are hopes that vaccinations can begin next month and carry on into the spring, with all adults vaccinated by April if all goes well.
However, health secretary Matt Hancock does not want to "pre-judge" when the MHRA assessment process will finish, adding the roll-out of vaccines will also depend on how fast it can be manufactured.
Discussions to set up three mass vaccination sites in Kent by December 1 have also begun within the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
The first priority of these sites will be those aged over 85, care home residents and people with additional health needs. The location of the sites has not yet been discussed.
