Less than 24 hours before the deadline the Government announced a temporary self-certification process for medical exemptions, which has been described as "hastily thought-out".

       It will let staff and volunteers self-certify that they meet the medical exemption criteria before the new "NHS Covid pass" system is introduced - with these exemptions expiring 12 weeks after its launch.

       Those covered include people with a severe allergy to the vaccines and people receiving end-of-life care.

       Providers said it could be misused by employees who are not prepared to get jabbed and wish to stay in work for longer, and that it pushes the issue of staff dismissals 12 weeks down the line.

       The GMB union said the Government had "fudged it" at the eleventh hour.

       Prof Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, told Radio 4: "Care homes are in the position of either having to transgress the law or expose people to levels of staffing that are not going to deliver the safety you're required to."