by Daniel Lombard
Hilton Dawson seems to think so, and has written to health secretary Andy Burnham to ask why social workers haven't been included in the priority groups for the programme.
The chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers raised concerns that practitioners could contract swine flu during the current pandemic and unwittingly spread it among service users during home visits.
Tim Chittleburgh, BASW chair, said: "Social workers regularly visit hospitals, care homes, the homes of children and families, older people, people with disabilities and or mental health problems, who might be vulnerable to swine flu. Many of these people are eligible for vaccination but may be among those less likely to take up the offer, therefore it's ludicrous that social workers will not be vaccinated, they are very much in the frontline."
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said the majority of social workers did not provide "intimate personal care" to service users such as washing, dressing or helping people to use the toilet, but if they did they "could be eligible" for the vaccine. Most practitioners are therefore expected to "protect themselves and those they care for and support using good respiratory and hand hygiene".
The case for giving the vaccine to social workers is arguably less urgent than for healthcare professionals, who will necessarily be treating sick people who may have contracted swine flu. Is anyone bothered that they are not getting the vaccine?
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