Why can boots get the flu vaccine but GP can't

[Toastytoads]

Just that really, my surgery were saying they are delayed and we have to wait. Booked myself and elderly parents in at boots and we all manage to have it? Seems odd.

I had flucelvax

I was wondering this too.
I had my (booked 2 months ago) jab at Boots yesterday. They were running an impromptu clinic and pulling people off the street to get done!
Meanwhile our surgery says it can't say when it will provide them.

No idea. DH and I had our vaccines last week at our local Boots pharmacy. Booked online and over and done in a few minutes. We don’t pay as we are over 50 - so Boots cannot be doing it for the money!

Apparently GP surgeries get bonuses for the amount of people they vaccinate. Going to your pharmacy for the jab instead of waiting for an appointment doesn't do them any favours. Points make prizes.

Its crazy, the surgeries should be stocked first. My parents were worrying about queue jumping again bless them. I'm just happy they have had it

Our local chemist was doing them, and telling everyone to go there as none of the GP’s in the local area had any yet.
To be honest, I don’t know why they don’t pass it to chemists as the surgeries can’t even cope with the appointments at the moment.

@TroysMammy

Apparently GP surgeries get bonuses for the amount of people they vaccinate. Going to your pharmacy for the jab instead of waiting for an appointment doesn't do them any favours. Points make prizes.

Then they should sort their supply chain out and offer them before pharmacies

Perhaps the GP’s didn’t order early enough as we’ve had ours at work for a couple of weeks now, but we ordered on the first day we could.

It's actually better if you go to your pharmacy as it leaves the GP free to see ill patients. There is no need for a doctor to do it.

I was so impressed by the service. Well done Boots.

@Rhubarbsoup didn't you read about a national distribution problem. GP surgeries can order in thousands off flu vaccinations. Pharmacies not so many. The surgeries most probably had to telephone and re-arrange hundreds of appointments with those people having theirs at the next session and those who enquired afterwards would have to wait until the next one.

Boots probably got the contract for it in your area

@toomuchfaster - Doctors don't give vaccinations in flu clinics that is left up to Practice Nurses on Saturdays. GPs don't go into work on Saturday flu clinics.

@wizzywig

Boots probably got the contract for it in your area

But then surely the local surgery would have said 'Go to Boots' on it's website?

It depends who has won the flu vaccine contract in your area. Some areas, it’s just Pharmacies who get it and GPs get a small batch later on in winter. Other areas, GP practices deliver most of the vaccines. Just depends on local commissioing

Our GP practice seems to have supplies - they were running a flu jab clinic today with another 2 scheduled for next week.

[quote TroysMammy]@toomuchfaster - Doctors don't give vaccinations in flu clinics that is left up to Practice Nurses on Saturdays. GPs don't go into work on Saturday flu clinics.[/quote]
I worked a flu clinic this morning, at the surgery I work in, 5 Gp's and one nurse. Utter rubbish.

We've had flu vaccines since last week, this is in Scotland though.

GPs run their flu vacc clinics completely differently, they usually have huge clinics with one after the other just for flu. Pharmacies book individual appointments and do them individually Thus the capacity is much lower.
The gp practice won’t put on a clinic until they have enough vaccines to fill it. Some of them have vaccines so perhaps yours just ordered later?
It’s early to have it, waiting a few weeks is not necessarily a bad thing as your immunity will be higher at the end of spring

• end of winter into spring

I was very unimpressed by boots, who today cancelled my appointment for me and ds...which was for first thing tomorrow, and which they had reminded me twice today to attend. Same thing happened last year...and no appointments to rebook to for 3 weeks. Grrr.

The pharmacy attached to our surgery has vaccines and is dispensing them, but the GP cancelled my appointment for last week because they can't get any. The surgery will be missing out on a lot of their 'jab bonus' this year, because people like me would rather not wait when you can easily go somewhere else.

I don't know what the issue is, whether the NHS insist upon one source and that has failed. Perhaps it's another little nudge towards 'sort out your own healthcare'.

Think it depends where you are. Called GP this week and got vaccine same day. Last year didn't qualify for one through GP and couldn't get one in any pharmacy so went without

It's strange. I guess Boots don't need many whereas GP surgeries run mass events requiring greater supplies.

I booked Boots privately for 23rd September, months ago, and just like I do every year. I was fully expecting a cancellation but it went ahead. I asked if they had enough stock, and the pharmacist said they did but that branch only had 4 appointments booked that day, so it was OK.

I assume most are happy to wait for their GP jab and, as our area is going to do flu and COVID booster together, I guess it's more convenient for most to wait.

Our GP is having the first clinic on Oct 9th , I get a free one but had it at Boots last weekend as I didn’t want to wait . Last year I got mine from the GP in sept so it’s definitely delayed this year .

I had mine at the GP surgery this morning, there were 2 GPs and 2 nurses. Very well run, all individual appointments from 9.00am through to 4pm, booked online. In England.