Has anyone else rang their GP to try and find out if they should be shielding for 12 weeks, only to be fobbed off and told lies by the receptionist?
I finally got an appointment to speak to a GP on Thursday, but I was repeatedly being told that gps arent making that decision and that if I think I should then copy of my repeat prescriptions is enough proof for my employer. Which it definitely is not. I just wanted a simple yes or no.
I had this too... I needed proof for my employer as I work in a nursery, when I contacted GP the receptionist said that they weren’t dealing with anything like that and refused to offer any help... luckily we were quiet enough that I could be Furloughed anyway... hope you get some help soon, stay safe xx
Thank you
I am really sorry you have not had much support from the GP. The GP should be able to help and advise here. Indeed NHS Digital who put the list together, state 'We expect GPs and hospital doctors to add around 600,000 other patients to the list, to give a total number of approximately 1.5 million.' (digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/.... Perhaps because this list is so new there are limited communications on procedures cascading down to the GPs.
You can now find further guidance on Asthma UK website: asthma.org.uk/advice/trigge...
Importantly if you need support you can register yourself here: gov.uk/coronavirus-extremel...
Thank you, Yes I've looked at NHS Digitals list and when I mentioned that it said GPs and Hospitals to make up the other 600,000, they were surprised. Im following the guidance on shielding but need proof for my employer or I'll be back to work on Sunday. Hopefully the GP I speak to knows whats going on.
I think some receptionist are just daft and can’t be bothered that’s the impression I get from my surgery I’ve never had any luck with mine
I know lots have been drafted in to help, but it's useless if we know more then they do.
Yes same here and but I am diagnosed as severe so work that out.
Just because I haven't been in hospital for a long time doesn't mean I am not, when I have a neb and rescue packs.
I am frustrated with the conflicting advice from all medics including the hospital.
Like you I am a key worker and still chasing it up as need the proof for work.
Good Luck x
It sucks doesn't it. Ive heard Tesco are paying all vulnerable staff the 12 weeks, whether they've had a letter or not. Why cant everyone do that. I'm gonna see what the doctor says as I have 2 steroid inhalers plus montelukast.....dont know if it makes a difference though. I might just end up using all my holidays so I can stay safe.
Hope you get an answer soon x
Hi, I got a text message from NHS on 23rd March & letter on 24th March . I also haven't been in hospital for a while with my lungs ( when I get a chest infection I do it big & end up in ICU) but do see Consultant every 3 months & also have stage 3 kidney disease & also pre cancer liver . Maybe thats the reason cis letter from NHS has my national insurance number on. If you see a hospital Consultant, I would check with them & ask why you are not on the list. Hope this helps. Chris
Yeah exactly the same here.
I spoke to my GP yesterday and she said that I am meant to be shielding and that they have only just recently been told they need to issue letters so there has been a delay. She said groups 1 and 2 got letters from centralised NHS, group 3 got letters from hospital specialists and group 4 is from GPs yet they where only told last week that they had to send out.
When I asked about a letter she said there was talk about NHS putting them all online yet not sure how that would work. Good luck, hope you get sorted speaking to GP.
Same here. I saw my specialist team yesterday to have my biological injection and asked them about it. I told them I hadnt had a shielding letter and they agreed that I definitely should have. They said they weren't involved with issuing them. Rang the gp when I got home and the receptionist didnt have a clue. She just kept saying I would get one if I was due one but it could be weeks??? I explained that I needed one as evidence for work otherwise I would have to go back in. Same response, they dont know whats happening. Unable to speak to a GP and will now probably have to return to work surrounded by loads of people. Without support from my gp I'm stuck really. There is nowhere to turn. No one seems to know whats happening and now Im going to be a greater risk because there is no support. Its so stressful.
Same here also due my injection soon. No sheilding letter been told lots of contradicting advise by a lot of people and that it is quite worrying. As I said I couldn't work from home.
I feel your pain. My asthma nurse told me I'm defo in the shielding group. I said i havent received any text or letter. She stated i should defo be getting one. That was on Thursday its now Tuesday and still nothing. I don't think GPs are listening to the news properly, but they are supposed to get a letter off NHS asking them to identify the remaining 600 thousand patients that the government have missed. My understanding is, the GPs haven't received this letter yet and are waiting like us. Or they really don't care about missed patients xx
Hi guys,
After so many different advice from receptionists and gp managed to speak tk my asthma nurse who said I am very high risk and he has written a letter for me to send to my workplace. He was very helpful. I am sorry to hear many others are getting no where with this. I would speak to your asthma nurses rather than a GP as they know more
If you are in the high risk category you would have received a text and or a letter telling you that you have been identified as such
Letter to GPs from Cheif Medical Officer dated 23 March. Definitely a role for GPS to identify what are being called Group 4 and criteria given as a guide. Full details here: pulsetoday.co.uk/news/commi...
So anyone can seek assistance from their GP and quote letter from Chief Medical Officer dated 23 March. I wonder how many have actually read it?
I had a text & a letter I have copd after lifelong asthma I haven't been in hospital for years. I have had treatment of 3 lots of antibiotics in the last 6months and always have a rescue pack of antibiotics & steriods. I just wonder why some of us have been informed and others seemed to have slipped through the net, there must be a criteria then others are added perhaps its if you have been Drs recently or something who knows its confusing. Hope all of you that haven't received a letter and need it for your workplace get it soon.x
I have the same issue. My surgery has announced that it cannot give advice on self isolation and to just follow government guidelines. I am going to try to speak to them again, but don't hold out much hope. I am going to tell my employer this and keep quoting the info about steroids and Montelukast. Before the Asthma UK list of dosages was taken down, my dosage put me in that category as it was in the table of medications. I managed to get a screenshot before it was taken down and am going to quote this at my employer. I am not going to risk my life because of red tape. I think all employers should give people in this situation the benefit of the doubt. Surely they don't want the potential death of an employee on their hands because they were fussing about a piece of paper?
Yes i was told the gps dont send the letters out it is the goverment
I have done the same screen shot it as no letter, as I have a biological, tiotropium, LABA high dose, montaklast.
Shielding is for severe asthmatics and those letters have been sent out by GP’s last week/ I am one of those very few included in that category, others may elect to self isolate to be safe /
Not all have received letters yet, there seems to be a delay for some people.
I just spoke to my GP regarding this and thankfully she was very helpful and is issuing me a letter, which all GP's should now have a template of. It can be emailed so it can be sent straight on to an employer.
Hope you can get sorted quickly.
Have you had a letter and the texts through to say that you should be shielding ?
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