Hi all, hope your day is going well.
So in all the previous lockdowns I have received a Shielding letter and/ or email but on this occasion neither has arrived.
I’m really worried about this. I don’t need the letter as I already know what the advice is but I’m so concerned that I have been accidentally removed and now won’t be called for my vaccine.
My GP says there’s nothing they can do as they have no access to the list.
Can anyone help or advise on what I can do?
Thank you
If you're in Scotland you won't get one because we are not shielding as shielding is detrimental to our mental health. I guess they don't care about the anxiety that's caused by us having to go out for work or to pick up medication as there are no volunteers [because there is no shielding] in my area.
Hi suzannah16 ,
'Shielding' has been reintroduced in Scotland with the latest lockdown, although they have made adjustments to the guidance so that it is less strict, allowing outdoors exercise (for example) to help manage mental health and wellbeing.
The current guidance in Scotland states that if you are "clinically extremely vulnerable" you should not attend the workplace - gov.scot/publications/covid...
Whilst the shielding support is not the same as the lockdown that started in March 2020, if you need medication to be collected, please contact your local authority because there are organisations offering assistance like this.
If you need more information about the current guidance and restrictions, please take a look at our article here - lupusuk.org.uk/coronavirus/
Hi Paul,
I’m based in England. Do you have any idea how I can ensure I haven’t been missed? I’ve rung my GP and rheumatology team and neither were helpful!
Thank you
Hi TheJBird ,
My understanding was that GPs should be able to access information about the vaccination priority group you are allocated to. As you were previously advised to shield, you should be at least in Group 4.
As for the shielding list, again, I thought it was GPs who had access to this, or at least the ability to add people to it. I've not heard a lot about letters for the most recent lockdown, but be aware that the UK postal service has had some significant delays recently, which may explain why you haven't received one yet.
Thank you Paul. GP really isn’t being very helpful. All I want is reassurance that I won’t be missed for the vaccine!I’ll try again tomorrow!
Thanks for your help!
Hi, my GP has added me to the list and checked that I am on it. Still waiting for a letter too but am being helped by GP. Good luck with your GP.
Hi JBird, I was sent text message and emails and then at the weekend I had the letter in the post which was the same as the email.
Hi I had a text 30th December to say go back into shielding. I received my letter yesterday dated 7th January , hopefully you'll get yours soon. Take care.
I had a similar experience in England - I got a letter from rheumatology for the first lockdown and then nothing afterwards (Govt guidance for England said everyone advised to shield first time round should have been contacted regardless of whether they still needed to). GP said I should chase rheumatology. I contacted rheumatology who said they had sent the letter to the GP too, and they should have coded it on my record, so I tried the GP surgery again.
I filled in an online admin consultation form and then one of the GPs called me. The GP I spoke to confirmed there is a specific code which should be attached to your medical record, and it had not been in this case. This is what triggers the letters and emails (and the vaccine list). In my case, they insisted that I sent them a copy of the letter from rheumatology again (they were posted a copy too in April, but claimed they didn’t receive it) and then the admin team updated my record. I had to be quite persistent.
Do you know whether it was the GP surgery or hospital who added you to the CEV list originally? I’d suggest you try emailing the GP copies of the letters that you had so far and ask them to check your record was updated correctly, as you haven’t had any letters for lockdown 3. If they’re still saying they can’t do it and won’t call your consultant to check, then I’d try your consultant’s secretary. (If they confirm it’s the GP who needs to add it then you can forward it back to the GP surgery). Hopefully they can sort it out for you
Thank you so much. I’m at the end of my tether with it all. It’s been a difficult week and now I’m having to fight just to get this letter! As if things aren’t hard enough when you’re shielding already!Hate it when you feel fobbed off and no one will help. It’s made me really upset and anxious!
Still tomorrow is another day!
I’ll use what you’ve said and find the strength to fight again!
Thanks so much for the help and advice! 😀
No problem at all 
It took me a while to sort out as I really had to fight for it, but hopefully this works for you too! Bear with it and let us know how you get on
Hi, I got have been getting texts and letters this time round again, I did say to get intouch with gp if appointment for vaccination hasn't arrived after mid Feb so would imagine gp should know I'm in Scotland don't know if would be different for you, you could also phone 0800 030 8013 if in Scotland would imagine there will be help number for England.
From what I’ve read and understand, in England it’s your GP who has the power to add or remove you from the shielding list. Be persistent, and good luck!
This must be so frustrating for you. It seems different GP practices run different systems 🤷♀️. You are right to be concerned about checking you are in the right vaccination category and I feel sure your surgery must have a way of identifying their vulnerable patients. I do hope you find a helpful person next time you call them x
Hi. I only had mine at the end of last week. So hopefully you will get it soon. X
Thank you all for your ideas and help! I’ve written a letter to the GP outlining a lot of what you’ve said and the links to the NHS pages so let’s hope I get confirmation soon! What an ordeal for something that could have been sorted sooner! Hope you’re all having a lovely day x
So sorry you’re going through this it’s so hard when you keep getting fobbed off. I’m still trying to sort out mine. I was told by GP they can put people into the shielding group. Not sure if that then changes vaccine list. She said they had no control over that.
For anyone who is still with me 😂. Finally resolved it after over a week! ’d been taken off by some sort of error (no one seems to know how) and after a fight they’ve finally listened and put me back on. What a load of stress for nothing! No one wants to shield never mind fight to get on the list! I don’t think anyone who hasn’t shielded will ever understand how important this vaccine is to me!
Anyway thanks for all the help and have a lovely weekend everyone. Stay safe!
This is a call out for. Do you feel down after your 3 month rheumatology review for Lupus?
Just been told that I have tested positive to S.L.E.
Now I am cross! Why don't doctors communicate with patients??!
Email sent may have hung myself but I don’t care 
What should I do
