News
Care home group will refuse to hire anyone who hasn’t had the Covid vaccine
‘It is our duty to do everything in our power to protect our residents and staff’
One of the UK’s biggest care home groups with homes in Greater Manchester and throughout the North West has said they won’t hire new staff who haven’t had the Covid vaccine.
Barchester Healthcare said they wouldn’t hire anyone who has refused to have a coronavirus vaccine on non-medical grounds.
Barchester runs more than 200 care homes across the country, including Marple Dale Care Centre and Arbour Court Care Home in Stockport, and others throughout the North West.
Marple Dale Care Centre – Credit: Barchester Healthcare
The group said it was adopting this policy due to the vulnerability of its residents, with Chief Executive Dr Pete Calveley telling BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours that ‘it is our duty to do everything in our power to protect our residents and staff’.
He said: “Based on previous studies of other vaccines it’s likely that this vaccine will impact transmission and experts have outlined that this is a strong possibility.
“So we are being responsible in the care of our residents and patients in taking action now, just as we took action early in the pandemic on visiting and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
“We want to be ahead of the curve in protecting and delivering the best quality care.”
Arbour Court Care Home – Credit: Barchester Healthcare
According to Barchester 87% of residents and 68% of staff have been given at least one vaccine dose, as of January 28th, with roughly 6% of staff deciding to not have a jab.
Dr Calveley said they are ‘strongly encouraging’ the current staff to have the vaccine, and the group is holding meetings and individual chats for any employees with questions.
He added: “We are constantly reviewing uptake and considering our position for existing staff.
“Overall we are delighted so many are getting vaccinated. It reflects the duty of care we all feel towards our residents and patients.”
HC-One, which runs 36 care homes and adult day care centres in Greater Manchester, and 328 homes across the UK, said 55.7% of its staff had been offered the vaccine by January 27th, with 5.72% declining to have it.
However, a spokesman added that many colleagues who previously declined the vaccine are now changing their minds after seeing others in the home who’ve had a jab.
He added: “We are confident that by continuing to provide colleagues with the factual information, reassurance and encouragement they need, we can increase the uptake rate further.
“This is our current priority and focus, and once the vaccine programme has been completed we will consider whether a formal vaccine policy is required.
“Any future policy will need to carefully balance personal freedoms, and colleague and candidate medical privacy, with the need to prioritise resident safety.
“This is a conversation we’ll seek to have with our colleagues, Trade Union partners, and peers in the sector.”
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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