Online shopping for those who are shielding

Another vote for Tesco. I am CEV and have been shielding since last March. In spite of shopping in person with Waitrose since 1982 I was unable to secure any delivery slots. I called Tesco customer service who were brilliant. They made sure I was on the list and advised me how the system updates overnight. I have been very impressed with quality, price and long use by dates. Feel really let down by Waitrose.

Thanks, twinnytwin. I noted what you told me.

Alexa, just to mention that Sainsburys takes payment for your shopping on the delivery day, not when you order (you mentioned two weeks). Since this last lockdown we've had weekly deliveries and been very impressed. To enable them to hold the delivery slot for you, you have to order at least £25 worth (don't hold me on the amount). I also start ordering two weeks ahead, and when the slots become available I order all the basics from my Favourites which amount to around £25 to reserve the slot, and then add, delete and tweak my order right up to the day before delivery.
I've been classified as clinically extremely vulnerable and have been messaged, emailed and had post from all the relevant organisations right from March 2020. My GP and hospital consultants have been fantastic and when I order regular prescriptions via PatientAccess, they are delivered to my home the following day. Very happy.

Only my RA consultant sends me copies. The others don't. However, my RA consultant retired during the Pandemic and I only found out last week from my RA specialist nurse that the letter was sent in October.

You do have the right to see your own records, although you'll have to request them and they might charge an admin fee.

Did you get a copy of a letter from your consultant? The hospital has been very good about sending me copies of letters and I can read the recommendations. I've then put pressure (ahem) on the GP to do what has been recommended. Otherwise, they do nothing. They don't even contact me automatically when I've had blood test results with a note to discuss with the GP, so I insist on getting a print out of any tests and follow up myself.

I would really like to read my records. I discovered that letter sent from my RA consultant to my GP, expressing concern about my heart, wasn't acted on.
I had a heart attack, which may been preventable.

Being in London I've been really lucky to get regular slots right from the beginning of lockdown 1, usually with Ocado with the occasional Asda. I no longer use Tesco as they continually sent me fruit & veg that was rotten. It was very easy to register. My Borough Council also delivered a box of food each week early on to my door, lots of carbs, potatoes, bread, small bag of fruit and tinned veg. My neighbour who isn't online and aged 79 was very grateful!

I've used online deliveries for years and years, love how convenient it is. I won't use Tesco again. But loving Ocado - they are no longer supplying Waitrose products but use M&S, bit pricey but I figure it's not like I'm spending money on anything (ANYTHING) else.

I have full access to my medical records through my GP surgery online.

decide (not decode)

Marydoll

I have no access, apart from prescription record. No illnesses at all. I don't think that it is possible to access full records in Scotland. I'm sure someone can confirm or deny this.

Same here. No record of vaccines, illnesses or anything.

All I have is an allergy to ibuprofen, my medications and appointments over the last year. The GPs decode themselves what access they give their patients.

Alexa perhaps you could take your bp tablet every other day? Yes please discuss with your GP whether you need to take it at all or perhaps a lower dosage.
As for priority supermarket slots, last year Sainsbury’s notified me that I would be, being in the 70s age group, also I had been a long term customer already. Never been able to order from Waitrose though!

I have no access, apart from prescription record. No illnesses at all. I don't think that it is possible to access full records in Scotland. I'm sure someone can confirm or deny this.

Marydoll

I have a question for English posters. Are you able to view your patient records through Patient Access?
How do you know there are errors on your record?

No, I can't. Your GP decides what level of access you have. I can't even access blood test results online, which I know some people can. I once asked why it was decided to not to give access and the reply was that people would worry too much, which I found quite patronising.

In which case muse, you should contact your GP and find out why they are missing. All your visits to see doctors, nurses etc should be listed, likewise all hospital visits and tests you have taken.

It sounds to me that you have only received part of your medical records, that relating to prescriptions and vaccines, not the main part.

Marydoll I can access my records but all that is listed is the type of vaccine I've had and repeat prescriptions, + telephone numbers.

I've quite a history of illnesses etc. but they are not there.

I have a question for English posters. Are you able to view your patient records through Patient Access?
How do you know there are errors on your record?

MOnica, I am sure you are right. I accidentally discovered an error in mine.

Remember, GP lists are not infallible. There was the story today of a fit healthy man in his 30s getting the letter telling him to shield. It turned out that his height was incorrectly registered as 6.2 cms insead of 6ft 2. More tragically a woman was registered as having Downs Syndrome, when it referred to a test taken when she was pregnant.

So if you think you should be shielded, but haven't had a letter have a word with your GP. Key information maybe missing from your medical record or incorrectly recorded.

We have a similar system too Lexisgranny. Except we use two washing baskets and chairs!

DH was on the Shielding List from the onset, but Sainsburys (our usual Big Shop store) insisted he wasn't. Tesco though found his name no problem and couldn't have been nicer.

I go on line to book three weeks ahead, bung random stuff in my basket and then change it a day or so before delivery.

With all the new people coming into the system slots may be in short supply again for a while. I have learnt that Tesco generally puts new slots on the system at midnight with a queueing system opening ten minutes beforehand. Staying up hasn't been necessary for months but I don't know if the supermarkets were pre-warned of the changes.

It's a bit similar to our system, Lexisgranny!

Ps should have added that the whole process was thought out so that neither of us would have to bend or stretch, and obviously not carry excessive weights.

For those whose orders are generally large, my Dh and I have a system. We have two small tables by the door with a large empty plastic box on one. The driver then places the supermarket crate on the adjacent table and my husband fills the empty box to a manageable weight and transfers it to the kitchen table. Meanwhile I place a further empty box on the table by the door (if necessary, adding any items remaining) then I go back to the kitchen to empty the first one, then we repeat until all the crates are empty.

I know this sounds a bit complicated, and it does need two people - the first time we got in each other’s way all the time, but now (we started in March last year) we have it down to a fine art, and the drivers appreciate the speed of the process.

I have been sheltered since last March, and initially it was quite difficult to get slots but once the sheltered system got underway everything worked well. We do not go in any shops, so our supermarket order is always quite large.

We have been really lucky with our deliveries and have only had missing items from our weekly order twice, and occasional substituted items have been quite acceptable.

You never know * Alexa*, you might feel a wee bit better. ?

Thanks |Marydoll. I did go to the doc a few years ago, who prescribed water pills for the oedema. I did not take any. I guessed there is nothing they can do to stop me deteriorating.

However my blood pressure is very low (104 systolic) and I think I will try to get a phone appointment with a doc regarding stopping my BP pill.

Alexa, my heart condition is irreversible too, but with the support of my GP, I try to minimise the symptoms. It doesn't always work, but I have no intention of leaving just yet, no matter how awful things can be! ?