Everyone over 70 in England can book themselves!

Gwyneth

Then the techie was very wrong to do this and you’re right Peasblossom as a result people won’t wait until they’re called. It’s very selfish, but then that’s human behaviour sadly.

So how stupid are those of us waiting to be called? This is madness of the sort we had at the beginning of the pandemic. I agree Gwyneth. it's very selfish but them we have been living in a me, me, me country for some decades.

That’s good to hear Peasblossom most people as you say have a phone and a ‘sweep’ on the system should ensure that vulnerable people don’t miss out.

I got a phone call from my GP's surgery on a Friday and was booked for the next Wednesday. The letter arrived on the Friday after I'd had the vaccine. I think some places are working so well they are beating the letter send out rate.

Thanks Gwyneth. I felt bad about my post when I realised people on here were doing it. I've always tried to stay away from anything contentious on here but it seems I've inadvertently put my foot in it!

Yes Calendargirl We have the internet but our GP's surgery rang yesterday with our appointments. We didn't have to do anything. Very efficient.

Actually Kate it is ‘pretty despicable ‘ to book when you haven’t been invited. However, the system should not allow this to happen.

Gwyneth when people get the notification by letter they can phone to book an appointment. Most people can manage that I think. There is also a “sweep” on the system that will enable GPs to contact anyone that has not been vaccinated once the initial drive to get everyone done is over.

If you don’t have internet access, I’m sure your GP surgery will contact you. I was speaking, at a distance, to an 85 year old man when we were queuing for our prescriptions. He had been the day before for his jab to the surgery. he had received a letter about it. I don’t think he had the internet.

We are assured that no one will be missed.

It’s usually the people who’ve messed up the system who moan the loudest about the system not working.

I posted on another thread that I thought it was 'pretty despicable' to book when you haven't been invited. I was accused of 'attacking someone verbally' who had booked without being invited.
I did no such thing as I posted before I knew anyone on here had done this. I duly apologised as I had no intention of upsetting anyone.

What about all the people who do not have i pads, smart phones, internet etc or who are unable to use modern technology? Are they to be sent to the back of the queue as a result? I suspect in the ‘me me’ first society we live in they will be.

FarNorth.

No, as mentioned previously, the shambles is a result of someone being clever, by-passing the proper system, bragging about how to do it and others following suit.

If we all did as instructed and waited for our rightful turn, the system would be fine.

CalendarGirl the posts on here show that there is a shambles - not of the medical workers but of the admin of notification and booking.

Ps if it hadn’t been for someone on Facebook giving this email out my dd wouldn’t have known about it. Other people around here rang up the hospital and the word went around that Guys and St Thomas’ were making telephone appointments for over seventies. So some over seventies travelled up to London which I wouldn’t have done.

My daughter informed me that the local hospital had a special email address for booking over eighties. There was a list of info needed or it would be rejected. That was date of birth, national health number, hospital number if known, our address and name doctor and address. My husband is 81 and I am eighty in July. I put my husband’s details first and then added mine in the hope I might be included. We received appointments for the following week. This was for the phizer jab. Have got appointments for the second but don’t know if that will come about with possible delays.

‘I’m All Right Jack!’ prevails.

As with so much Covid related stuff, just because you ‘can’, doesn’t mean you ‘should’.

My GP surgery made it very clear both on their website and by text that people still had to wait to be invited for their injection. I now have that invitation and have booked my appointment. It would be a bit of a free for all otherwise.

Then the techie was very wrong to do this and you’re right Peasblossom as a result people won’t wait until they’re called. It’s very selfish, but then that’s human behaviour sadly.

And to be clear the NHS are asking people not to book before notification.

Don’t blame the organisation or the system. Blame the selfish people who are always looking for a way to get in first.

I have said it up thread but perhaps not clearly. This is how the system works - or would work if people would stick to it!,

Priority groups were decided, starting with the over 80s.
GPS clear their patients in that group on the system and notifications are sent out. In tranches. Not all at once because THAT WOULD CRASH THE SYSTEM.

When a sufficient percentage of the first priority group are done the next group is cleared and will get a notification to book.

And so on.

So yes it is possible, once your group is cleared, to book without a notification. A techie found this out and put it out on the internet. If everyone does it all in one go the IT system WILlL CRASH!

So if you can’t wait till your called, go ahead. Grab the loo rolls. Who cares as long as you get your jab in first.

That seems to be right Calendargirl, you can book before the actual letter arrives but you do have to be in the eligible category. Different regions are organising things differently, hence the apparent anomalies, but I think it would have been even worse if they’d tried to organise it on a national Scale.

Our son did it for us yesterday. Apparently very easy. We didn’t know anything about it but his in laws had heard. Why don’t they tell people about it? So we have the first appointment booked as well as the second. ?

The site also says you should only be booking an appointment after receiving an invitation letter, which suggests you shouldn’t be ‘jumping the gun’, even if you are over 70.

I though that Calendar. Under 70 without being CEV shouldn’t be able to jump the queue.

Blooming wonderful! Thank you so much. I’m booked in for Wednesday. ??☀️