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February 12, 2021 — The British Institute of Radiology supports the proposal by AXREM that staff members from private suppliers who work shoulder to shoulder with National Health Service (NHS) staff in high-risk areas in hospitals should be recognized as frontline health and social care staff and prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination accordingly.
Professor Stephen Keevil, Vice President, External Affairs said, “The British Institute of Radiology is proud of the way that its members from across healthcare, academia and the commercial sector have worked together as part of the nation’s response to the Covid-19 crisis. It is right that all staff involved in this effort should be recognised as frontline workers and prioritized for vaccination accordingly. Some trusts are already offering vaccination to private sector colleagues who regularly work on site providing or supporting NHS services; we would like to see this approach adopted more widely”.
It is important to remember that it can take 2-3 weeks for immunity to develop following the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Hospital staff who have been vaccinated are still required to follow Covid precautions, including using appropriate PPE and social distancing, to ensure that everyone is kept as safe as possible.
AXREM is a trade association representing suppliers of diagnostic medical imaging, radiotherapy, healthcare IT and care equipment in the UK. Read the statement issued by AXREM.
For more information: www.bir.org.uk
January 28, 2026 
