2nd batch of letters: Hi I was just... - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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2nd batch of letters

Alisbabas profile image
21 Replies

Hi

I was just listening to the radio and caught the tail of the discussion, they were talking about a second batch of shielding letters that are being sent out. Are these for the first lot that should of been sent or are they adding to the shielding?

Hope everyone is well and coping with the lockdown.

Cheers

Ali

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Alisbabas profile image
Alisbabas
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21 Replies
MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star

There is a second set of letters being sent out as many were missed on the first pass. I am not sure of the process used to identify them but hope it wasn't the EPR (electronic patient record) as many have serious errors and omissions!

Alisbabas profile image
Alisbabas in reply toMichaelJH

Cheers for the clarification

Kristin1812 profile image
Kristin1812Heart Star

As above, on the ‘extremely vulnerable’ category.

I think the list was generated from the NHS. In my husbands case we got a letter from his Consultant confirming the status,

You then apply via gov.uk. Then you get confirmation and guidance on staying home for 12 weeks etc, etc . This should be followed by your Supermarket offering priority delivery slots. This seems to be to loyal customers whose contact details they already have. The different supermarket websites tell us how far they’ve got.

The next tranche I believe is different and relates to ‘vulnerable’. But I’m sure someone here will tell us if I’ve got anything wrong, and how the second group is different.

I’m not sure.

MelB51 profile image
MelB51 in reply toKristin1812

Just a point....registering on the government website does not mean you will get priority delivery slots for shopping. I am a loyal customer of Tesco, have had the shielding letter and I have registered on the government site. However, according to Tesco, they had contacted vulnerable people who were on a list supplied by the government and had already contacted those people. I have had no contact from Tesco and cannot get a delivery slot for love nor money! I did get a text from the NHS saying they were aware that there were difficulties in registering and that they would text me again when the problems were fixed....still waiting.....still no delivery slot😷😷

cowparsley profile image
cowparsley

I`ve had a second letter emphasizing the importance of isolation and urging me to sign up for "extremely vulnerable" which I had already done.Tesco is wonderful for priority online shopping.I got my shopping delivered the very next day.

Grayjay profile image
Grayjay in reply tocowparsley

Hiya,

May I ask how you got service from Tesco? Did they contact you or is there a link somewhere to apply for it? I've registered as vulnerable but haven't had any contact from anyone.

Thanks.

cowparsley profile image
cowparsley in reply toGrayjay

I signed up on gov.uk/coronavirus/extremel... and a week later received emails from Sainsbury and Tesco to say they had been informed and now have priority.Sainsburys had no priority slots available.Hope you can sort this,if not,go back on the site and reregister.Best of luck.

Grayjay profile image
Grayjay in reply tocowparsley

Thankyou.

Supernanu profile image
Supernanu

My husband has also had the letter in the first batch (he has copd and had part of a lung removed last year).

My niece is a gp and she says that the letters are from the NHS and not generated by gps. In fact their practice were checking patient records because they felt some of their most vulnerable patients had been missed and they were doing a follow up with the NHS.

Krystin1812’s post is a very good summary of the procedure.

Hope you are managing to stay well and safe whatever your status.

Nicole

Alisbabas profile image
Alisbabas

Thanks all

DaveyG71 profile image
DaveyG71

So these letters. I have had a STEMI with 2 stents but in review in October my heart had minimum to no damage my EF was excellent, does this still put me in vulnerable group? I am totally clueless.

Alison_L profile image
Alison_L in reply toDaveyG71

Hi Davey, you're similar to me. Basically we are high risk, but not on the top level of risk, so there's currently no need to shield or self-isolate for 12 weeks. Just be sensible.

DaveyG71 profile image
DaveyG71 in reply toAlison_L

Thanks Alison. It’s a bit unclear at mo 🤷🏻‍♂️

Alison_L profile image
Alison_L in reply toDaveyG71

It certainly is :)

Kristin1812 profile image
Kristin1812Heart Star

I think the first tranch of letters was for ‘significantly vulnerable’ and this does give you some priority for supermarket deliveries. (Though I still cant get any!)

And as I summarised above.....the criteria are v clear on the Gov.uk site.

But I think the second tranch is to ‘vulnerable’ people (which probably includes nearly everyone on our forum). It advises on shielding ...and how to take care. I don’t think it gives any priority for shopping deliveries.

I wait to be corrected!

Vinaigrette profile image
Vinaigrette in reply toKristin1812

unfortunately 2nd batch still doesn't seem to include people who have heart disease unless they're pregnant women. There's a few more obscure airways conditions they didn't list before, and a few more cancers. I was disappointed as OH has many conditions which BHF seem to suggest put him at higher risk, but none seem to get him on the Gov.uk list.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

At the beginning of this, Sainsburys were sending mails to their customers over 70 to say when slots were open. Suddenly they all stopped after they got the government's list of vulnerable people which were all with really serious conditions. Heart disease was not on the list. Yesterday I rang Sainsburys. The girl checked their list and immediately put me on it. She didn't say but I am guessing that more conditions may have been added. I know my GP has been more than happy to add items that I normally have to buy over the counter, to my repeats so I don't have to go to the chemist repeatedly although she didn't specifically tell me how long to isolate. I don't care as long as we can get food delivered. I have only left the house once a week for 18 years to buy oddments and magazines and now to get my pension. Life isn't much different.

1AnneMcC profile image
1AnneMcC in reply toQualipop

Sainsburys informed me we weren't on the priority list. My OH had valve replacement and triple bypass 4 years ago and heart attack and stent replacement 3 months ago. Telephone consultation last week with Consultant at Broadgreen also recommended antibiotics for a chest infection but still no communication regarding vulnerability.

Our local council has a school full of food supplies for vulnerable residents but can't find out who qualifies. I fear the food will be wasted unless this gets sorted quickly.

My friend is a volunteer for housebound and has told me horror stories of totally fit people abusing the service to get their shopping done thus putting volunteers lives at risk.

I think its absolute chaos out there with selfish people lying about their status.

We haven't been out for a month now. We had one delivery from Morrisons the only story with available delivery slots and our son brings supplies round too.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to1AnneMcC

I had a morrisons delivery yesterday and te driver told me he'd been to a house round the corner who had REFUSED their order because he came 4 hours early!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obviously perfectly fit people who could be going to a shop. I was furious. They expected him to drive back to the depot and go back later. I was just grateful to get one at all. I have to shop online as I'm housebound anyway.

He did tell me that they have added more vehicles and drivers so you may have more luck now. Keep trying t different times; right after midnight can work sometimes. Sainsburys sometimes put slots up mid afternoon.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply toQualipop

Morrisons ( I think) have a phone line where you can order for a next day delivery. Only a limited number of items- they have a list to choose from.

Alisbabas profile image
Alisbabas

That’s not good refusing the delivery when genuine people can’t get slots!

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