THE NHS has launched an appeal for North East people to work on its Vaccine Damage Payment team.
The Vaccine Damage Scheme Team works on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care to process claims for a one-off payment to people who have suffered a severe disablement due to direct affects from a qualifying vaccination.
People who become severely disabled because of a vaccination against certain diseases can get a payment of £120,000.
Claimants can also apply for this payment on behalf of someone who has died after becoming severely disabled because of certain vaccinations.
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The Newcastle jobs, advertised on the NHS website, are caseworker posts as part of the Primary Care Services Directorate and will also support work within the Provider Assurance Team.
Despite an increased spotlight on the payment scheme during the coronavirus pandemic, the financial support has been available from the established system that has been in place for over 40 years.
The vaccines approved in the UK have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Reports of serious side-effects have been “very rare” and there is no evidence that the vaccine has any effect on chances of becoming pregnant, the NHS says.
Conservative MP for Christchurch, Dorset, Sir Christopher Chope, introduced a Private Member’s Bill last year, which pressed the government to commit to supporting those who suffer serious side effects from Covid vaccines.
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In November, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed it had received 437 applications under the existing Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 in respect of Covid-19 vaccines. All applications had been acknowledged and no applications had been rejected.
A government spokesperson said: "All vaccines being used in the UK have undergone robust clinical trials and have met the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) strict standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.
“The vaccine damage payments scheme provides additional support to help ease the burden on individuals who have, in extremely rare circumstances, been severely disabled due to receiving a government-recommended vaccine for a listed disease.
“We would urge anyone who still hasn’t yet taken up the offer of a jab to come forward.”
Anyone who suspects they have experienced a side effect linked with their COVID-19 vaccine is encouraged to report it to the Coronavirus Yellow Card website.
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