Letters to High Risk Individuals

[MichaelJH]

These letters are going out next week but having had appointment letters and the results of my angiogram go missing I am wondering who we should check with if no letter is received. I know my EPR (Electronic Patient Record) is pretty inaccurate!

[Sunnie2day]

I'm listening to the daily press conference with the PM - the new advice is:

If you do not receive the letter by the time your post normally runs Friday 29th March, telephone to your GP/primary care provider and ask what your status is.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Sunnie2day]

Thank you. I have read the updated information but it remains far from clear!

[Sunnie2day in reply to MichaelJH]

I've also read it and found it clear as mud if that helps any

I listened to Nicola Sturgeon (FM of Scotland where I live) earlier this afternoon and she said Scots can also expect to receive letters this week - she said 200K of us - and the list was read out with some further information from the Scottish Chief Medical Officer for Scotland better defining what some of the encompassing conditions include (for example, cystic fibrosis and 'severe' asthma and COPD).

Still scratching my head - if I don't get a letter by the time my post comes through the door the 29th I will be telephoning my cardiac nurse per the guidance given verbally by the PM and the FM. And if any receptionist gives me guff for telephoning, I'm going to remind them I'm only following instructions!

[Chickenlou]

I found this on gov.uk earlier that has the full list of conditions that will be receiving a letter (list is towards the bottom of the page.) gov.uk/government/news/majo...

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Chickenlou]

It suggests I am not in the highest risk group unless I get pregnant! 🤔

[Sillyfroggy]

It reads to me that they’re not including heart conditions, but are respiratory/lung issues and low immune systems?

[Lezzers in reply to Sillyfroggy]

I agree. But HF and the respiratory system are closely linked and a lot of people with HF also have respiratory issues even though they don't have COPD.

Did I understand it right that the GP was identifying the ultra vulnerable group? As a HF condition can worsen at any time, if that happened I wonder at what point a letter would go out?

[jenvious in reply to Sillyfroggy]

I am confused about this, as well. Surely those with heart failure/diseases are just as much a higher risk group?? I have HF and asthma but not severe asthma and I am breathless on a normal basis! Surely I would be on this list? So confused as they said in the first list prior to this 12 week one that heart failure/disease are on the high risk group....😕

[Sillyfroggy]

I suspect HF is possibly on the list but I fear us dodgy artery people fall outside it. Bearing in mind the numbers with various heart conditions, 1.5m seems a very small number for letters going out. Covid19 settles in lungs, so obviously if lungs already compromised there’s less healthy tissue to hold up.

Best thing you can do, letter or not, is just stay home. I’ve been WFH for a week now, already finding it somewhat samey....

We are where we are. There were we all anticipating Brexit, in a variety of ways, when unknown to us in November, this was starting unwatched by anyone.

[Bletchleygirl2 in reply to Sillyfroggy]

HF is not on the list.