MANAGERS at Musgrove Park Hospital are trying to persuade staff still to have their Covid jabs to do so - or face losing their jobs.

It comes as a group calling themselves United Workers of the Musgrove Park Hospital (UWMPH) are threatening to cause "havoc" and to go on strike over the issue.

Group members say they feel "bullied, harassed and victimised" by a Government ruling that need to be fully vaccinated by April 1.

They have written to Musgrove bosses making claims - which leading scientists refute - such as the vaccine does not generate an immune response but rather modifies the recipient's genetics and causes "many adverse side effects and deaths"

They are angry at what they claim is management "ignorance and lack of communication", saying: "(It) will generate a response from the hospital staff using various forms of action to combat anti-social and anti-workers MPH management."

They add: "We would like to inform you (managers) of the possibility of taking decisive action towards protests and a possible strike action in consultation with other hospitals from NHS trusts.

"In the next weeks and months ahead, in response to your lack of attention, you will face a massive increase in workers absences and resignations from work in MPH.

"Also, various actions have been planned which will affect the smooth operational running of MPH and cause havoc."

Isobel Clements, chief of people and organisational development at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Musgrove, said: "We work with over 9,000 colleagues across our trust and we value each and every one of them and the contribution that they make to the services we run across Somerset.

“The vast majority of our colleagues have chosen to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, but a small percentage has not.

"In recent weeks line managers from across our services have had discussions with frontline colleagues to double check their vaccination status and have supportive discussions to understand why some have not yet had their jabs.

“On April 1 it will be a requirement for anyone providing care or who has frontline contact with patients, whether in the NHS or the independent sector, to be fully vaccinated.

"This means that we will not be able to continue employing any colleagues in those roles unless they have had both their Covid-19 vaccinations unless they are medically exempt.

“We really do not want to lose any colleagues, so we are pulling out the stops to understand colleagues’ reasons for not getting vaccinated and if there is anything we can do to support them to get their jabs.

"This could include discussions with clinicians about the efficacy of the vaccine and the difference that we have seen it makes within the services we run, a discussion with our maternity services for any pregnant colleagues or running a needle phobia clinic.”