'Flu vac at pharmacy

I received a letter today from nhs to invite me to book an appointment for a flu vaccination and was given an email and phone number to phone. Unfortunately on sending an email it came back saying undeliverable my son who works in IT says it’s because the email address isn’t accepting incoming messages AND when trying to phone it’s always too busy to accept any calls. Most Gp surgeries are NOT giving appointments what the h is going on here does anyone have any advice on how to book an appointment I’m not too keen to go to a pharmacist I have reasons for this - help

How do you know most surgeries are not giving appointments? How many have you tried to contact. DH and I have an appointment in a couple of weeks time as do my neighbours,

Had mine yesterday, Friday, arranged by local GP surgery. Very efficient, special flu vaccination clinic all day on Fridays, at local church hall. Received a letter advising me of the procedure for this year, then several text messages to remind me of date & time. Brilliant service.

Just had a text from our GP service - now called 'Health and Beyond, FGS! - asking us to log on to a system which books you in for the flu jab. But not, we found, at our GP surgery or indeed any of the surgeries in the newly formed group of surgeries. Somewhere else entirely! I can't work out what's going on. fortunately we don't require GP services very often. Just as well!

Earlier this morning I got a call from the GP surgery saying that they had spare places for flu jabs today. Me and hubby just back, all done for another year. Couldn’t fault the set-up at the surgery.

I had mine yesterday and my arm is feeling heavy and painful today, which I am pleased about, because hopefully my immune system is marshalling the troops

We booked our Boots jabs online (we are certainly over 65) with no problems, had them yesterday, you must have hit an odd branch?

We had ours done at Boots, my husband’s was free of charge as he is over 65 but I paid for mine as I am 61 £13.99. We go every year to Boots apart from one year when I had mine done at the surgery, it was like a cattle market, all line up in the corridor snd she did them one in one out. That was the only year it hurt and came up in a lump afterwards.

Our surgery wrote to us, asking us to support the GP surgery by having the flu jab with them. Presumably, they lose money for each patient who goes to a pharmacy instead.

I had mine yesterday at Boots, they sent me a reminder as I had had it there last year as our GP only did them on Saturday. They were 10 minutes late calling me in but once inside they had a form and pen waiting for me they were fast and efficient and I was out within another 10 mins. Now my arm aches but I’ll be worth it

I think surgeries are losing £££ by pharmacies doing vaccinations.

We had ours at our Health Centre on 12th Sept. Normally there is a long crocodile queue but this year allocated a time. Very well organised didn’t even sit down in the room.

NannyMags

We had ours done at Boots, my husband’s was free of charge as he is over 65 but I paid for mine as I am 61 £13.99. We go every year to Boots apart from one year when I had mine done at the surgery, it was like a cattle market, all line up in the corridor snd she did them one in one out. That was the only year it hurt and came up in a lump afterwards.

We used to buy ours from the Pharmacy here in France. Equivalent of £5.50. (Now free when we take in a form sent by the Government) Pharmacy will do it free while you wait. Ours are kept in fridge and then taken to the Doctor if we already have an appointment, or we phone a registered Nurse who will come to the house at a time to suit. Reason for this service is to encourage as many people as possible to take up the flu' jab offer. (She says!) Both the UK and France up until this year at least have a record of poor uptake of the vaccine.
Nurse charges £6, Doctor will give vaccination within the £25 consultation fee (part or all of which is refunded by the Government according to income). Always had the vaccination but always have it done in the opposite arm to my writing arm - normally no aches and pains afterwards but it's an idea to take it easy for 24 hours rather than indulge in manual work or excess exercise. Fingers crossed that this year it really helps towards protecting all of us!

Dear friends, this year I was scared by the side effects of the flu vaccination? please write your experience..

I did have one done at Boots one year, because the GP had run out of the special over 65s, or whatever it was, vaccine.

Dh had his jab at the GP yesterday, and I’m down for next Monday. They are doing 2 minute slots, apparently there’s a (socially distanced) queue and you go in with your sleeve rolled up, all ready.

GP Surgery sent text beginning September. Over 65’s could book from 21st September so I made an appointment for that afternoon. In and out in under 2 minutes, 1 patient at a time, everyone masked as required, beautifully managed, but left me feeling sad when one of the nurses said how nice it was to see patients again.

B9exchange

Boots for us, can book online, no worries about supply.“

We had ours booked on 26th Sept., Boots tang to say they had not received their supply. Thankfully, we finally received our letters from GP and are booked there on 10th Oct.

MariaUA I was very wary, goodness knows why, but was reassured by other GN’s and friends. I had mine done two weeks ago at the GP’s, so they got the fee. My arm was a little achy for a few days, otherwise I’ve been fine, the jab itself I hardly felt.

MariaUA, I’ve had a flu jab every year for quite a while now, and apart from a very little soreness for a day or two, I’ve never had an adverse reaction, and neither has dh.

I did once have proper flu over Christmas, at least 20 years ago now, which is why I’ll take whatever’s offered to try to avoid it again. It knocked my stuffing right out for at least 3 weeks.

Would be interested to hear, Mrs R, if you get yours really high up in the arm too, I would have had a huge dressing down if I had done that as a nurse!

We had ours done at the surgery last Saturday but appeared to be by an outside company. Usually the doctors turn out in force for flu jabs but no sign of any of them. When I had trouble recently I rang and got a doctor’s telephone appointment, at the end of which she asked if I would like her to look at me later on in the day. I went to the surgery and saw a few people going into to see a nurse but no sign of doctors until my doctor appeared to call me in. She was dressed in full protective gear and diagnosed a hernia but suggested I leave it for at least a few months but would refer me if I wanted in the future. It struck me that other doctors were absent but perhaps they are working from home. It’s unnerving I find.

B9exchange

Sorry, meant we are booked in with GP on 10th, not Boots (which still doesn’t have stock).
Very good practice nurse. If you look away you don’t even know she’s done it.
We only booked Boots originally because the GP didn’t know when their stocks would be in. Seems Boots were making appointments before they’d actually taken delivery.

I'm going for mine next Tuesday. DH booked it for me at the pharmacy.

I tried and tried to ring our health centre to book one, to no avail. Nobody answered the phone, I was left on hold for so long that I gave up.

I hadn’t heard from my GP so I called the surgery and got an appointment for the vaccine.

We're having ours today at our GP surgery. DD and SIL had theirs yesterday at Boots. They're both eligible to free ones but are way down the list this year. DGD had the nasal spray at the surgery last Thursday.