My fifteen year old granddaughter is type1 diabetic
Like us she is entitled to the flu caccine. Flu could kill her.
Back in September we oldies started having our adjuvented vaccine, some primary schoolchildren had the one up the nose and vulnerable under 65s had theirs by injection.
As you may have read, owing to a testing procedure problem the nasal vaccine ran out before the group of 12-18 yr old vulnerable patients could have it.
For weeks my daughter rang the surgery twice each week to be told that it was still not there.
She asked if her daughter could have the vacc by injection as it is important to protect her.
Absolutely Not !!! Government policy!
So on Monday she rang again and refused to put down the phone until the receptionist asked the GP if her daughter could have the injection. The GP came to the phone and said that of course she could. They need her protected.
Today they enter the nurse’s room to be greeted with ‘ hello darling,’ I have been wondering why you still haven’t had the flu vacc but why are you insisting on the injection? Because you still don’t have the nasal spray replied my daughter.
Nurse opens fridge and says ‘there you are, I have lots of it, have had for two and a half weeks’
Grandaughter thrilled because she doesn’t have to add to the six injections she does in a day.
Daughter tells nurse to educate the idiots on the reception as to the fact that there is plenty of nasal vacc in the fridge and leaves before she goes down the corridor and says something that she will be cross with herself about. This is only a small practice. There is no excuse for keeping a vulnerable young person unprotected because a receptionist firstly decides herself that she cannot have the injection and then, none of them know that the right vaccine has been there for two and a half weeks!
It's my daughter's practice. I think she should have done but as she spoke to the GP and also the nurse knew of the receptionist's behaviour I guess there would have been a discussion. Thank you for answering.
That’s really terrible Littlepom, more & more receptionists seem to take it upon themselves to be obstructive. I’m glad to hear it all got sorted in the end though. 👍👌
Littlepom, the only way you can ensure that this does not happen to others is by writing a letter of complaint - a polite but firm letter and ask for an investigation as this could have been dangerous - also send a copy to the local paper or the CQC - I have discovered it really is the only way to help put right wrongs which should not have occurred and this most definitely should never have been allowed to happen! You can of course praise the people you know at the surgery there quite highly or butter them up - lay on one or two compliments to take the sting out of it if you wish!!
I will be so pleased once these steroids have been reduced - my keyboard is smoking from overuse at the moment
Dear Littlepom, I am very pleased to hear it and excellent advice from Ergendl too - formal written complaints should always receive a written response as well.
Appalling. Speak to someone on the Patient Participation Group at the surgery, to raise it at their next meeting, and get them to forward it to the PPG Cluster Group meeting and Care Community Meeting.
Good plan Ergendl. I used to be on our PPG and this is a good way to get the attention of the whole of the practice and to remind them that they are accountable. Thanks.
That is awful but as others have said not surprising. Our surgery had their usual cattle market for the over 65s but I heard nothing. When I called last month to ask if I had been missed I was told they didn’t have any of the vaccine In for the venerable and to go to the chemist. Of course the local chemist had run out by this time so I was left to trudge around chemists to see who had got it. I struck lucky in Sainsbury’s. I believe that the lack of the different types of flu vaccine in the surgeries is because they don’t order in time. Of course it’s a complete surprise that flu season comes around every year! I hope your daughter does make some form of complaint so your granddaughter doesn’t have to go through this again.
I think the word for them is jobsworth, we have one in our surgery. Glad your daughter sorted it and good job your granddaughter didn’t catch the flu in between x
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