Bureaucratic nonsense

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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!!

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.

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!

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.

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 ?

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.

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!

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

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

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.

On the front page of Mail on Sunday it stated that the Health Minister has instructed the NHS to give boosters after FIVE months to get the programme rolled out quicker.

I had the same, 6 months 2 days for me. 119 turned me away so I went to a walk-in centre and they did it no problem. It's not denying anyone there is plenty for everyone and the walkins work like clockwork, in and out quickly.

Luckygirl, I am in agreement with you. If you are eligible from the Thursday, how is it you cant ask for the appointment from the Friday. And how is it the NHS, can give us appointments ahead for heart, diabetes, or any other ailment we have. Even flu jabs are booked in advance. You are not jumping the queue, just stating the obvious. Its completely daft and the dental helpline is similar.

I was contacted as to when to go and get my booster and then I went. I can't see what all the fuss is about!

Scotland is doing it as 170 days from last jab now, but as you can’t book on website ( not for boosters anyway ) for some reason they are not doing that till mid November I just took my letter for flu jab to centre said my last covid date and got it even though I had to cancel flu jab as away and just went to chemist to get that instead.

I booked mine online the other day - it was exactly 6 (calendar) months since my 2nd jab. No problem - I was given a choice of venues/dates, and had it the following day.,

I wasn’t going to wait for an official summons, since the GP surgery somehow forgot me for the 2nd jab. (Booked that myself too.). We do one-off childcare fairly often, and dd was getting anxious, since there’s quite a bit of COVID going around Gdcs’ primary school.

Tish

Perhaps the IT system doesn’t allow a booking to be made till the relevant time has passed.

But it did for the original doses.

Sassieannie

I work in a GP surgery on the admin side. Apart from the six months issue, I think there must be problems with the supply chain as although we have a provisional date for a clinic, we can't as yet put appointments on the computer system until the delivery is confirmed. When it was all kicking off with the inital vaccinations we sometimes got a couple of days notice that Pfizer was on the way! It can be a huge logistical/admin nightmare!

That makes some sense of it.

My local GP surgery is having nothing to do with bookings. There's a huge notice on their website that they won't talk to anybody about vaccinations.

Perhaps the IT system doesn’t allow a booking to be made till the relevant time has passed.

jaylucy

There must be a particular reason why the booster has been advised to be given after 6 months, surely ?
The call handler would have been trained in a certain way and there usually is little flexibility in what they can do around that - can you imagine what would happen if thousands of people all decided that they wanted treatment or vaccinations when it was convenient to them?
It's not bureaucracy, it's the most efficient way of being able to track when the population has been vaccinated.
Did you enquire at one of the walk in pharmacies that should be in your area if they could provide the booster before your trip ?

How is it the most efficient way to track when the population has been vaccinated?

There must be a central database with all our National Health numbers. I'm not asking to jump any queue and be vaccinated before I'm eligible. I just want to have an advance date and time, as I did for the original vaccine.