Vaccine and Scottish shielders

[DJK12]

There seems to a problem in the east of Scotland or at least in Edinburgh with vaccinating those on the shielding list. As a matter of interest is this just a local problem or all over Scotland?

I will be done by my GP when they are through with the over 80s and then the over 75s. Large centres opened in Edinburgh on Monday and my 70 year old husband, 6 friends and apparently 1000 other people were done very efficiently and cheerfully! As husband is asthmatic we're very pleased.

However our MSP has discovered that some GP practices, including it seems ours, are only being sent 100 doses a week, and the last information was they were only just starting the over 75s. As the large centres are apparently starting the healthy 65 + on Monday I, ironically, would gave been better without the shielding letter - though I am eternally grateful for the priority shopping slot.

It's sad as the winter flu jabs were done a different way in NHS Lothian this year and it worked with military precision. However despite quite a lot of publicity the powers that be won't come clean about the GP situation. Anyone else in same boat?

Diana

[JediReject]

Hi Diana, , ironic that your clinically vulnerable / shielding status appears to be holding you back. Not good. I don't know about other Scottish regions as in Blackpool but my sis and bro in law in Borders are awaiting theirs but they're just over 70. It might explain why several peops we know in the Nth West have been offered jabs in other towns between 20 and 40 miles away which I think is a bit poor at a time when you're being asked not to travel out of your area, though it would be lawful.

Be interesting to see if any others have the same problem .

Chris

[DJK12 in reply to JediReject]

Hope they get a letter soon. There seems to be two different routes in Scotland and the GPs apparently have to jump through two more hoops to get doses as opposed to all the centres which are administered centrally. I think I've read on here that English GPs can order their own supplies.

My husband described a lady with a trolley rattling up the aisles of the enormous EICC in Edinburgh calling 'anyone for vaccines' to the vaccinators. I couldn't help laughing at this image but there was more on her trolley than our poor GP gets in a week. He said it was so well organised and loads of well trained staff. Diana

[JediReject in reply to DJK12]

Haha I didn't think 'trolley ladies' existed nowadays esp in these woke times though the job title now might be Mobile Vaccine Dispensing Operative. We used to have them at work when i was nobbut a kid dispensing tea and weird tasting coffee from large urns , their trolleys loaded up underneath with goodies. They were a throwback to the offices and factories in the 50s and 60s and were appreciated by us all but like alot of things eventually replaced by machines sometime in the early 90s. Happy mostly carefree days back then. I actually met my first wife in the trolley queue and being youngsters we were teased by the serving ladies. Hope you get sorted Diana and thanks for stirring my memory. . .

Chris

[friendofpiglet in reply to JediReject]

My god that takes me back.

Back in the late sixties/early seventies we waited with bated breath, at our desks, around 10:30AM for the bellow of "TROLLEY" from the lady in a stripy pinny and white hat dispensing well stewed tea from an urn, and buns, from outside the lift gate. (Joyce was her name as I remember - with a genuine Aylesbury accent rarely heard now).

I was on the fifth floor so the tea was considerably more stewed than that enjoyed by the lucky buggers on the first floor.

Happy days!!

Andy

[DJK12 in reply to friendofpiglet]

Thank you Chris and Andy - laughter truly is the best medicine. My husband was happy to forego the stewed tea but said he wouldn't have minded a bun after the vaccination, but none on her trolley. I had been having a difficult week healthwise and I think spent too much time reading press reports of the GP problems so it's good to see the funny side of an undeniably serious situation.

[JediReject in reply to friendofpiglet]

Yes Andy , our trolley was either early or late as it was termed due to servicing a long corridor with spurs off it so the ladies used to switch their route in an attempt at a fair service. Like yours if it was your turn to be late the tea was like treacle. It sure is a blast from the past. 🍵

C

[ET500]

This is a worry that as the big centres are opening the vaccines are being diverted there and have heard from a vaccinator (at these centres) that they are having to waste some as people not turning up or too many files that then can’t be used due to storage problems .. At least through local surgeries they can phone the next people on their patients list, where the big centres wouldn’t have those lists .. I got my call yesterday from my GP for next Wednesday (Aberdeenshire) I’m 63 with asthma +et jak2 , so counting myself lucky . Hope you all get your soon .

[DJK12 in reply to ET500]

That is reassuring and very good news - I hope it goes well. There is a newspaper article this morning indicating exactly what you say that doses are being diverted to the centres and GPs being given short notice of what they will receive. As yours isn't till Wednesday maybe that indicates the supply chain is finally improving.

Apparently Scottish GPs originally were only given over 80s to vaccinate and mid January over 75s and shielders were added without the supply chain being sorted. Can only hope this is fixed before 2nd dose has to be given as at the moment a blame game is being played.

Diana

[HazeBlue]

I’m shielding to but it is ok to go to a vaccination centre. Social distance and mask up. Quicker than waiting for Gp

[DJK12 in reply to HazeBlue]

Are you in Scotland? Unfortunately it doesn't appear work that way. We are either on one pathway or the other and there is no choice. Appointments at the large centres are sent out from a central source - no-one knows where from or how to speak to someone who can help - to get an appointment for a week ahead and they will not vaccinate without a letter. The surgeries can only do it it if you're in their priority category.

The helpline given on the letter ( to cancel or re-book) is useless as one over 70 friend discovered when his wife got a letter nearly a fortnight ago and he hasn't despite them moving on to over 65s. He phoned his surgery who said they wouldn't do him but phone the helpline, the helpline then said phone the surgery. Then to add salt to the wound the helpline number was given out in the Scottish Parliament for those who had been missed to try despite the poor people manning it saying they can't help. No doubt he will be 'mopped up' in due course by someone.

You can see I am exercised by this! It is a shame as thousands of people are working their socks off to try and do it efficiently but being let down by the delivery system and with what looks like some squabbling further up the supply chain.

[Arty16]

I live in Scotland West Coast. I had my vacine on Wed. My mum who is 80 got hers last sat at gps. My dad who is 79 gets his this sat at mass centre. Speaking to the doctor they have completed over 80 and now working through vulnerable. She said everyone else has to go to mass centres. That is what has happened to me there has been no mention of lack of vaccine. So it may just be your area.

[DJK12 in reply to Arty16]

That is interesting and the fact your father at 79 went to the mass centre indicates perhaps his GP was quite canny. If the papers this morning are accurate the GPs were originally just going to do the over 80s but mid January were asked if they would also do over 75s. No mention of shielders but as I gather only 180,000 letters sent out in Scotland we can hardly overwhelm the GPs.

Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthboard are quoted as saying GPs could refuse extra work of over 75s - getting started with the blame game? - and perhaps your father's sensibly did? Also, which I didn't know, that under new work contracts GPs are no longer taking responsibility for vaccination programmes. Presumably agreed pre Covid and explains the different approach to the winter flu jags which was done brilliantly in Edinburgh - we naively thought it was a trial run for covid ones.

A senior Glasgow GP is also quoted as saying they should have been involved much earlier with the planning and then would have sussed the supply chain problem - more might then perhaps have refused to do over 75s. Unfortunately it just sounds as if Health Boards and GPs are involved in some squabble. It is an emergency situation and people will be doing their best so things will go wrong. Just hope someone somewhere is working on it before 2nd doses have to be done.

Diana

[Arty16 in reply to DJK12]

My sister works in a gps. She said it changes daily. Her gps have only.to do over 80 and vulnerable all the rest were sent to.mass centre

[DJK12 in reply to Arty16]

Sounds as if the GPs who didn't sign up to do over 75s and shielders quite sensible. Having said that we are lucky that mass centre and GP are equidistant from our house. I've read of people travelling quite long distances to get to the mass centres especially if they live in the country.