The List of the clinically extremely vulnerabble

Doodledog Wed 15-Apr-20 00:42:23
I'm in England and have no idea how this all works. BJ made it sound so simple when this List was announced - "You'll get a letter on Tuesday"!

I haven't received the letter, just something from RVS asking for a number which is on the letter (!) and an email from SAINSBURYS last night saying I am on their priority list. Before the official lockdown I had spoken with pharmacist and asked advice about shielding etc given my meds and am on their list for delivery (Tues of the 4th week of lockdown). I've no idea which consultant to contact.

For me it all seems like a mess that wouldn't get sorted unless I prompt all who I imagine are supposed to be involved. It seems that GPs aren't initially involved in putting the list together?

My DDIL has severe asthma and life threatening allergies. She's in total lockdown but not on the list as yet.

Reading everyone else's questions and circumstances, maybe it isn't just as clear cut as BJ suggested!

My first port of call has always been the hospital rather than the GP, who only receives my admissions and discharge letters as the hospital have always told me to ring them if I need stabilizing. No use going to the GP if I'm in A/F as they would send for an ambulance anyway.

Worse things at sea I suppose.

There is a specific list of categories and anyone in Wales in one of the categories should have received a letter from the Welsh Assembly Chief Medical Officer. I assume that is the same for the RUK.
I presume they obtained the list from hospitals and GPs but then had to evaluate if people's criteria fitted in one of those categories.

My friend, the receptionist, told me only the vulnerable, not high risk get letters in Scotland! Don't really see what the difference is, but I'm assured there is! .

I should be in the high risk category (not highly vulnerable) but have received/heard absolutely nothing.

Doodledog Seeing your records and test results depends on your GP surgery. I'm registered for System Online and have had discussions with the practice about what they allow to be seen, but apparently the GPs don't want their patients to see anything, so all I can do with it is submit repeat prescription requests.

Oops!

I have a friend who is a doctor's receptionist at a surgery in Glasgow.
He told me that they had only received the sheilding list from the Scottish Govt. on Monday and were going through the lists to look for omissions.
He said that they were not involved in making the lists and wasn't sure how the Scottish Govt got the names.

In Scotland, we cannot access our files, but I do know that there is a marker on my file, alerting doctors that I am a vulnerable patient.

I know this, because before the lockdown, I phoned the surgery to leave a message for my GP and actually spoke to another GP, who looked at my record and said I was to stay in, even before the lockdown, as there was a flag on my record.

My friend told me that there are three categories, Sheilding, high risk and those with no health issues.

I had a phone call from my surgery a couple of weeks ago to double check I had received my letters, as some had been missed.

It may be worth checking with your GP if you think you should be on the list.

I have a friend who is a receptionist in a

Does anyone know whether there should be a note on the System Online system if you should be on the list? I mean the site where you can see your records and test results.

I have asthma and thyroid problems, and have not been sent a letter. I am not pushing for one - I am able to stay in anyway, which I am doing, and we are managing to get deliveries of food from Sainsbury's, but I would be interested to know if I should be on a list and have been missed off for some reason.

I have looked on the system, but there is nothing to indicate that I should (or should not) be on a list, and I don't know if that is because I shouldn't, or if it is just not recorded on there.

An update....out of the blue this evening I got an email from Sainsburys telling me that I'm now a priority customer, because I'm on the government list.
First I heard about it LOL!!

But of course, there are no slots available for 3 weeks so it's just like being a non-priority customer!

Grammaretto That's helpful thank you. It's hard doing all this over the phone! Mum is very good at changing the subject when she thinks I'm getting too bossy! I will take a deep breath and try again tomorrow! I think a lot of people right now are heading for sainthoods!

Helenonotion you may have to bypass the text and phone direct to your LA.
Or you could send another text to reactivate the box.
After all there is a facility to cancel the box or make it 2 boxes for 2 people so you should be able to change it.
We have 95yr old DPs who luckily are being cared for by my younger DBiL. He's heading for sainthood.

Thanks Daddima. I will text again, as it's been weeks.

Correction, sorry, I just checked.

The letter came from the Welsh Government's Chief Medical Officer.

In Wales the letters did not come from the GP but from the Area Health Authority and specific conditions were listed.

* Marydoll* I sent the text, and got a text back to say if I’d shopped online before, then that supermarket would be in touch, otherwise one of the major ones would be, so I’m waiting for Sainsbury’s. I have already booked a delivery for tomorrow.
And, yes, things are different in Scotland. I’ve already had calls both from GP and hospital, as well as local council to see if I need anything.

KathrynP Sun 12-Apr-20 13:27:55

Thank you very much for posting the versusarthritis link.
I was able to check my meds which mean that I should have automatically been on the list.

But I still haven't had the letter which means that my surgery have overlooked me. These are the people who look at me as if I'm a loon when I've reported that I just have to step outside and I catch a cold! Surely they should know that their drugs are depressing my immune system!

Thanks to my friends, I've managed to get groceries intermittently. The food box doesn't seem to cater for special/free-from diets.

Unless there's anything else that special list status confers, I don't think I'll bother pursuing it. I'm so very tired of fighting for every scrap of support from these people. (5 weeks for a GP appt..??!)

I wonder how many more people have been left off the list...

Grammaretto Thank you. I had another word with my parents yesterday and it seems my Dad ticked the box that meant they didn't need a parcel! Apparently they thought they would leave them for the people who really needed them as they weren't that poor. I tried to explain it had nothing to do with money, but it was all about staying safe at home! I am now trying to get one of them to ring the number on the letter to change the option if possible. It is proving difficult! It's all a bit of a nightmare, isn't it?

Cabbie, our GP is "bothering with all that" . That's why I got a phone call checking that I had received the sheilding letter. Apparently some patients who should have, hadn't received a letter.

They were totally unaware that NHS Scotland had sent out a second updated letter with more info and contacts on it.

No good asking the GP to add his name as they are “not bothering with all that”

Katek, the 12 weeks has to be purely arbitrary, as it will surely depend on the situation at the time.

DH expected to get a letter but didn’t. No good askin

The procedure to obtain support is totally different in Scotland from England.
NHS Scotland will only give your name to supermarkets in Scotland if you text your CHI no. to a dedicated phone no. No facility to speak to someone.
To receive a food box, you phone or email your LA.

I got a second updated letter from Scottish NHS last week, Katek, then GP surgery
surgery phoned to check I had received the first one and check if I needed any support.
My first letter told me to isolate from 29th March, but I had already been advised to isolate by my GP weeks before that.
The phone no to request the food box is on the second letter.

What is the date on everyone’s letter? Mine is 27/3 but I’d chosen to go into isolation on 17/3. Do I count my 12 weeks from 17th or 27th? I know it states ‘from the date of this letter’ but if letters were going out on different dates some people will reach 12 week point earlier. If that’s the case can I count from 17th? I’ll still have done 12 weeks.

Sorry if that’s a bit confusing....hope you can see what I mean! ?

I'm glad this has been raised.

I registered as extremely vulnerable because I have asthma. A few days ago Sainsbury's told me I'm on the Government's list for priority deliveries but none of the other supermarkets I have tried to book orders with seem to know that the Government has recognised this.

I haven't had my letter yet either, but can't understand why, if Sainsbury's have seen my name on the Government's list, none of the other supermarkets have.