Bureaucratic nonsense

I feel very lucky. I didn't have any of this hassle. Our GP surgery simply sends us texts to get us to book in via a return text with them for the booster. All done and sorted.

This person is not trying to move up the queue or get ahead when she shouldn't, she is simply trying to save herself and another person making/answering the phone on another day by putting in her appointment at the time of the first phone call. I agree, it's so pointless and frustrating. A bit like calling the GP and they tell you there are no appointments until the next day, so call again. So the next day it's like being on the starting blocks to try to get through, when they could simply make the booking for the following day at that time, and save everyone a second call to deal with

When you are running a scheme to vaccinate millions of people, there do have to be rules.

I'm in the same position, don't want to jump the queue but would like to know what I'm doing as I've got other things going on, and I'm an unpaid carer. My partner and son, both younger than me, have already booked their jabs for tomorrow!

Just go to your nearest walk-in centre. They will sort you if they possibly can. Try to speak to the paid staff though and not just the volunteers, who follow a script.

The system is probably set up so as not to allow the administrator to book anyone for a booster until they are 6 months from their last vaccine. It's not a case of they won't do it, it's that they can't do it because of the way the system is set up. Modern technology ?

The system isn't perfect. I'm fairly sure that no country has a perfect system and our governments are always trying to reinvent the wheel. When I went to get my second shot in California, the nurse aid told me I was too soon. I had to count it out for her three times. Then her supervisor came over and counted out for her twice. I'm just glad that she did well in her phlebotomy class.

In the walk in centre where I went there was no queue or shortage of vaccine, as long as it is 6 months since your 2nd Covid jab the walk in centres will give you the booster - walkin walkout job done. You are not denying anyone else theirs, there is plenty of vaccine available and the nurse who did mine said she despairs with 119. Also I don't think Janet Street Porter should be ashamed of herself as she highlighted that 119 are slow and a waste of a long phone call and the Walk In Centres are there for you to walk in!

Just to say ... this isn't being able to book an appointment to get a routine test. Its the biggest health undertaking in our lifetimes. Boosters, first and second doses, and 12 - 15 years old, all programs to be managed simultaneously. Plus the flu jab.

We should give them a break.

I got a text today. I'm also contact for my ds who is learning disabled. We both had our second jabs at the same time, I have no idea if the text is for me, him or both of us!!
Last time round we both got texts and they had our names on, no name on this one!!

One of my favourite scenes from Outnumbered (almost all of which involve Karen) was when Karen’s headmistress, played by the great Rebecca Front, was trying to explain to her how rules worked. At the end of a long and patient explanation the following exchange took place:

Headmistress: You know, Karen, I once knew a little girl like you. A long, long time ago. She was clever, she had lots of opinions, which she loved to share, she thought she was the centre of the universe and she didn't think the rules should apply to her. And do you know what happened to that strong-willed little girl?

Karen: Did she become head teacher miss?

Headmistress: No, she got expelled. She's in prison now. Turns out the rules did apply to her after all.

I got a text to warn me my 6 months was coming up and I would be sent a link to book an appointment. Few days later another text with link. Appointment booked on line from a choice of several centres, chose nearest one. Jab done on Monday. Had flu jab last Friday. Thanks NHS and all the volunteers involved you are doing a great job.

I agree it sounds crazy that you have to wait to a certain date to book an appointment, but...

... this may not be as stupid as it sounds. It probably depends on the computer program used to book appointments, how far in advance dates are available to the secretary booking the appointment.

I can give you an example: I have been attending an outpatients' dept. regularly for the last six months, usually every two months and simply were given my next appointment time and date, after each appointment.

However, last time I was there, the consultant said that now my next appointment could be left for three months. This suited me fine, as I have quite a distance to travel to get there and home again.

The secretary politely explained that she couldn't access dates so far in advance. Fair enough, now the three months will soon be up, and I haven't received a new appointment.

I suppose I had better soon check that they haven't forgotten about me.

Am Laughing here. What do you expect??? A government that knows what it’s doing ??? 2years later and you haven’t learned. Btw it’s 180 days - according to my friend who delivers the vaccines into peoples arms.

I don’t know who the NHS employ for taking bookings etc. but the people at our local town hall- One Stop Shop- only give admin. posts to rejects from what used to be termed as the ‘slow readers group’. It is like talking to lumps of dried putty.

I really cannot see the problem. My booster was due on October 20th (six months from my second vaccination, so I went onto the NHS booking website on the 19th but had 'not eligible' , then the next day on the 20th I went on again and was told I could book. So I booked! Had my booster on Monday. Yesterday I had the formal invititation to book from the NHS by text, so all so organised. My date was calculated in simple April 20th to October 20th terms.

My granddaughter had her booster on Sunday. Her Mum booked it for her on the exact date of her 6 months.

Petera

Pammie1 I’ve seen so many threads accusing people of being irresponsible to question having the jab at all and now here we are criticising someone who’s actually thinking ahead to try to be responsible.

But it's not that is it? Medically it doesn't really matter if it's exactly six months. A month early, a month late will make no difference. But what we have is someone wasting the "girl's" (I know that was not OP’s terminology but it crept in) time by arguing that the rules, clearly posted on the government website, don’t apply to them.

How do the not rules apply to her ? I re-read her post and she was at 30 weeks when she tried to book the jab - by my reckoning that’s going on for 7 months, so even if the NHS is going on calendar months she was still more than eligible. I think the trouble here is that the government is advocating something that the NHS is having difficulty in delivering with any clarity.

I was offered my first jab when my husband (75) had his though I was just 69. Consequently I've had my 2nd and booster vaccine offers early too. Our GP practice is very efficient and texted me when we could book and we had it a couple of days over 6 calendar months.
My neighbour, much older than us but with a less efficient GP practice, has still not been able to book hers and now has had a terrible cold for over a week, postponing her booster further.
I really can't see why the NHS booking service can't take bookings once you've reached 6 months, considering how few people appear to have been at the centres when we, and people we know, attended. Surely they want to get as many people through as possible?
Incidentally the centres we were offered were not as convenient as for the first two jabs. To get to most of them we needed to drive. The local large centre has closed.

Polarbear2 - the person at the vaccine centre told me it is now 190 days - more muddle!!

Pammie1

Petera

Pammie1 I’ve seen so many threads accusing people of being irresponsible to question having the jab at all and now here we are criticising someone who’s actually thinking ahead to try to be responsible.

But it's not that is it? Medically it doesn't really matter if it's exactly six months. A month early, a month late will make no difference. But what we have is someone wasting the "girl's" (I know that was not OP’s terminology but it crept in) time by arguing that the rules, clearly posted on the government website, don’t apply to them.

How do the not rules apply to her ? I re-read her post and she was at 30 weeks when she tried to book the jab - by my reckoning that’s going on for 7 months, so even if the NHS is going on calendar months she was still more than eligible. I think the trouble here is that the government is advocating something that the NHS is having difficulty in delivering with any clarity.

If you re-read her post you will also see that she says herself she is not eligible until tomorrow. I've asked for this 30-week claim to be clarified but with no repsonse.

I’ve had message to go and I’m not due til end November?!!

My problem is that my knee replacement operation will be taking place three days before I'm eligible for the booster - and it will be very difficult for me to get to a jab clinic for

Whoops, posted too soon.

...it will be very difficult for me to get to a jab clinic for a while afterwards. I rang my GP to see whether I could have it beforehand - because the most likely place for me to catch the virus will be in hospital - but no such luck.

Computer systems drive the world now and unfortunately they are designed by humans who make assumptions and because they may not have thought about all the variables, sometimes these systems are faulty. Take the example of the GP surgery, when the GP says I would like to see you back here in one month (yes that still happens in my surgery in London) but she can't book me in because the system can't allow it. If they could book appointments a month hence when that time comes there might be no room for those needing immediate treatment. So it's a system problem, and that's what is happening with Luckygirl. There is no physical way that the system can be over-ridden - it's not a question of a poorly-paid NHS clerk being able to use initiative to over-ride that system. It's more a question of you Luckygirl, if you are on talking terms with your MP, using that position to lobby for more resources for the NHS so that computer/system programmers can design more sophisticated systems.

As an aside though there's a good reason for a long period between jab 2 and the booster - and that's to allow the immunity to wane and give us chance to build up some natural immunity. Rolling from one jab to another is a sure way to weaken us rather than protect us. I also find the idea that one needs time to get over the booster one worth discussion because if anyone is so sick with it that they need time to 'recover' then the jab is not a sensible option. I do feel we have all lost sight of what vaccinations actually do to us. I'm not an anti-vaxxer by the way.