Gransnet forums

Health

DH - tried - to get a flu jab

(107 Posts)
M0nica Sun 11-Oct-20 11:49:36

Our surgery, in their wisdom decided that flu jabs for the over 65s would be available at one clinic only and named the day as today from 8.00- 10.00pm. The jab is done through an open window at the back of the surgery.

When DH arrived, just before 10.00am the queue stretched for over 400 yards and was still growing rapidly. He turned round came home and will pay to have his flu jab at a pharmacy later this week.

The surgery has 13 GPs, although a couple are part time, so it has a large number of people on its list and a good proportion will be over 65. What you do if you cannot get there has not been explained. It was take it or leave it.

I am currently so p*ssed off with the NHS. DD was nearly collateral damage during lockdown because her GP forgot to order a crucial test. When she finally got it, she was found to be very seriously ill. Now our surgery run flu jabs, so essential in the current situation, entirely for their convenience, leaving older people queueing for hours, thankfully, in sunny dry weather, but the surgery did not know how the weather would be when they chose the date.

I feel we are being treated like sheep, fit only for slaughter.

NotAGran55 Mon 12-Oct-20 08:29:55

I forgot , temperature taken at front door before entering the building .

Sarnia Mon 12-Oct-20 08:43:25

In answer to M0nica being fed up with the NHS. I retired from the NHS during lockdown. The Government's answer is to constantly throw money at it but it needs a radical overhaul from top to bottom. Money is being wasted on far too many managers earning eye-watering salaries to the detriment of doctors, nurses, midwives and resources. The NHS has been in crisis for some time and Covid-19 has not helped. The system is overwhelmed, not helped by the huge number of immigrants coming here over the past decades. And before anyone mentions it, I am not racist. I worked with people from all over the world during my time in the NHS. Lovely, hard-working people who paid their dues to this country. It is the many thousands who come here and do not contribute who are causing serious issues and not just to the NHS.

spabbygirl Mon 12-Oct-20 09:38:06

tories want people to go private, in time they will say 'less and less people want NHS so we're closing the service' it happened down here with our a&e

Matelda Mon 12-Oct-20 09:43:33

I was registered with a surgery in the town centre. It used to be difficult to get an appointment and there was no parking and constant hassle. A surgery further from the centre was advertising for new patients and I was in its catchment area, so I swapped. It was a surprisingly easy task, and the new surgery is modern with a large car park and it is easy to contact them. I had an appointment for my flu jab on Saturday, and we were whisked through six at a time, all well organised. I have never regretted moving to a different surgery.

TanaMa Mon 12-Oct-20 09:46:24

Had mine at the Dr surgery on Saturday. Booked it in September as usual and was given the date for my age group, that was how they had organised it. Clerk at back entrance to check temperature and tick off name on list - in back door - all surgery rooms in use by Drs and Nurses. Cerk to direct you to next free room, asked if feeling well and advice regarding the injection, out front door. Bit like being on a conveyor belt but praise to ALL the staff who made it run so smoothly. The surgery is not usually open on a Saturday except for emergencies.

Aepgirl Mon 12-Oct-20 09:54:54

This is the fault of your surgery, MOnica, not the NHS. I had a timed appointment at my surgery, they were every 3 minutes, over 3 days and it worked perfectly well. Socially distanced queue, checked name by nurse outside, checked temperature on entering the building, directed to nurse, received jab, directed out of building by a different door. All over in 45 seconds.

NannyG123 Mon 12-Oct-20 10:01:38

I had my flu jab done in ASDA, Didn't need an apt.they done it there and then.

MiniMoon Mon 12-Oct-20 10:02:05

I phoned our Health Centre on numerous occasions to try to book a flu jab. I couldn't get through, even though I hung on waiting for ages.
I made an appointment at our local independent pharmacy, no fuss, straight in, jab given, answered a couple of questions and that was it. As I'm over 65 it was free.

Soniah Mon 12-Oct-20 10:05:09

Brilliant at our Drs in Denbigh, they had Saturday clinic on 2 Saturdays, saw 1800 people, held it at a pub by the hospital so plenty of room for lots of staff and patients, one way system etc, plenty of parking, brilliant. Can't fault NHS here

Bargar Mon 12-Oct-20 10:07:16

My GP practice also v efficient, no problems getting flu jab. DD has been volunteering at agricultural showground in Cornwall, crowd control at drive-in flu jab session, another volunteer said it was a practice run for when the Covid vaccine is ready...?

Grannygrumps1 Mon 12-Oct-20 10:07:57

Why are you cross with the NHS..... you should be cross with your surgery. This is their choosing not the NHS. 99% of gap practices are privately owned.

4allweknow Mon 12-Oct-20 10:09:45

My practice isn't doing flu jags this year. Very small building and couldn't cope anyway. Whole system has been given over to local Health Board with various community halls, even a theatre being used. Have to phone or email a central system to arrange appointment. No problem.

Kate1949 Mon 12-Oct-20 10:11:09

I booked mine at the pharmacy free of charge. They cancelled it as they had run out. I rang the GP and they have put me on a list as they have run out too.

Luckygirl Mon 12-Oct-20 10:12:13

I have not had mine yet - the surgery is doing them alphabetically by surname over 3 consecutive Saturdays, and I am nearly last on the list! I get mine this Saturday. No doubt it will be fiendishly efficient, as they always are.

But it will be a damp squib compared with the usual "Jab Party" that happens in the village hall - tea and cake and a chat along with your flu jab.

Outofstepwithhumanity Mon 12-Oct-20 10:13:20

Our surgery had a drive through system in the car park. I had a specific time slot & there was a one way system in the car park. The practice nurse gave the jab through the open car window whole process took less than 5 minutes.

Funnygran Mon 12-Oct-20 10:13:42

We had our flu jabs in a school carpark last Saturday. Not sure what would have happened if we didn’t have a car but it all went very efficiently. DD is a practice nurse and has worked the last two Saturdays doing jabs. The first Saturday they saw over 800 patients and had 14 staff working. When she went to bed she said she was dreaming about doing them!

Westcoaster Mon 12-Oct-20 10:15:16

Our practice had a great set-up for the flu jabs.
They took over the local academy's hall (during the school holiday) and sent out appointment times to all eligible patients. We were met at the door where had to hand sanitise, moved along to another person who directed us to a line which we then walked down to meet the injector. She checked over the form we filled out at home, promptly jagged us and sent us on our way. In and out in 2 minutes, no queues either inside or out. For those not able to walk so far they would go out and do it in their car.
Excellent set-up altogether ... much better than the usual free for all they usually have on jag day at the practice!!! smile

Cagney Mon 12-Oct-20 10:18:23

We were offered and took up the offer of a drive through flu jab at a local livestock market via our drs surgery
Excellent as was pouring with rain
Took my parents at same time
Very efficient system
Same practice offered a walk through at a local supermarket car park with covered area
Needs must

Patsyb71 Mon 12-Oct-20 10:19:11

I live in a retirement village in north yorkshire and the manager arranged with our surgery for a doctor to come on site and give everyone, including the staff, there jab if they wanted one, it worked perfectly, he did over a hundred in an afternoon. I hope they do this every year from now on.

Nannysprout Mon 12-Oct-20 10:19:11

I went to my local Boots chemist three weeks ago to collect my thyroid medication and my pharmacist said you need a flu jab and he did it for me there and then! Its the first time I've had one as I didn't qualify before and I've always been a bit scared of it. Didn't have time to think about it! When I got home I was still in shock! Lol ? Reading of some of the experiences on here I was really lucky to have it done so quickly and efficiently. Didn't have to pay either by the way.

Graygirl Mon 12-Oct-20 10:23:19

DD has RD with other side bits (the words are hers as she refuses to let it define her) her jab is been done 23rd this month. We are with the same surgery ,when she had her monthly bloods end of last month was told they were following government guide lines priority given to over 65s we had ours 2weeks ago So on that day as instructed by surgery she has hers 9.24, I meet 13year old GS after school out side pharmacy for his, 18year-old GD will pop in after she finishes school, SIL popping out in lunch break for his . So by time the family are all together at end of day all done . SIL payed for by company, GC bank of mum & dad.

Missiseff Mon 12-Oct-20 10:30:54

Please don't be peed off with the entire NHS!

nipsmum Mon 12-Oct-20 10:38:57

I live next door to my surgery but I was told , on enquiring last week that Flu vacs would not be done there. Here in Scotland the powers that be have decided that if you don't need to shield to will be sent an appointment, time and place ( a so called Hub") to get the flu VAC. I am 80 and keeping well but I have no intention of trying to travel, maybe across the city, to get a flu vac.

Pudding123 Mon 12-Oct-20 10:42:20

I must be one of the lucky ones,I was 65 last year and had called at the chemist to pick up my prescription when the assistant asked if I would like a flu jab,I waited 10 minutes and had my jab.last week my daughter who's friend is a nurse advised me to arrange to get one as they may run out,I called in my local chemist to ask if they were doing them she advised they would do it if I could wait 5 minutes she would do it.job done!I have got to say I had a very sore arm for 3 days .,but having read some of the comments on this thread feel it is a small price to pay.

EmilyHarburn Mon 12-Oct-20 10:46:44

The system at our surgery was very efficient . Appointments booked 2 minutes apart. Asked not to arrive more than 5 minutes before appointment .
No queue on arrival and directed into a one way system, to one of 3 tents in the car park. Nurses administering jabs from a trolley standing up in the tent with a clerks just beside her checking off details from their printed list. Out of car park to our car and no congestion anywhere. All over in 2 minutes. It was a fine day. But for similar queues on a wet day I have a folding stool in a cloth bag and an umbrella that stands up by itself when you put it down. It has a solid hook at the end instead of a handle so that you can loop it over your wrist as you walk with it open. If it is shut you can put it in the shoulder sheath which came with it.