or is the surgery being a bit shit?

[ChampagneTastes]

Just wondering if this is par for the course or (yet another) indication that our GP surgery is a bit rubbish. My DS is 3.5yrs. According to the NHS website this means that he is due for the MMR booster between now and school. I haven't had any letters or anything about it so I popped into the surgery to ask. Firstly the receptionist insisted that he had already had it (2013 - so the original jab, not the booster). Then when she finally accepted that he hadn't had it yet she put his name "on a list". I'm not filled with confidence.

I have just realised that this may be the dullest AIBU ever. I shall try to dripfeed some horror stories later to make it more interesting.

Our appointment was just sent out automatically so didn't need to book anything. It was at an immunisation clinic run by the HV rather than by the doctors surgery itself

That's what I thought... Other people have had their letters though. But receptionist just didn't have a clue. I suspect that she just put me on a list of "awkward customers" which will later be filed in a bin.

You didnt ask the crucial question. When can I expect to hear from you?

I thought that letters for vaccinations such as pre-school boosters and school leavers boosters were sent out centrally and not from the individual GP practice.
I had similar issue with our GP practice though over the new Meningitis vaccine last August for students off the University. I asked twice at the surgery and was told DS would get a letter in the post. In the end I made DS ring and book an appointment 2 weeks before he went to Uni to make sure he got it in time. The promised letter never came (and i did ask when he should expect to get it and was told "soon".)

Oh my ds needs a jab!

Our routine vaccination letters come from central health visitor place not the gp practices. Which means they're a nightmare to change.

Yes redexpat you're absolutely right but she had the air of a woman who had finished with me and I am easily cowed. I think the jabs round here are administered by a company in a neighbouring town but they definitely sent out a letter before. I'm worrying about it anyway because DS had a fairly awful reaction to the original one (basically had mild measles, it was horrendous) so I really want it done and out of the way.

The letters usually are sent from a central point not the GP surgery. However, don't wait for the letter. If your DS is 3.4 years or over he can have them, although there's no urgency. Just make an appointment with the nurse.

When my son was born, I asked the midwife and health visitor whether I would be automatically issued an appointment for his 8 week jabs (I was with older son, but have changed GPs since) and they both assured me that I would. The week before they were due, I got a letter telling me to call the surgery and book them, only to get earache from the nurse when I tried to do so as it was nearly Christmas and they were really busy!
I did explain to her that I had been told I would get an automatically issued one, but she sounded sceptical, so I emailed the HV service to let them know and never heard back. It's such a pain - if only there was a system that operated all over the country so everyone knew where they stood rather than ad hoc arrangements that seem to change depending on where you are and when you need the service!

Not entirely related, but I took my dd for her nasal flu vaccine only for the nurse to start getting out a needle and telling her that it was just a little scratch. It was only when I mentioned that she had only turned three a week earlier that she realised what we were there for! My confidence was a little bit shaken after that

I thought my son had it when he was closer to 5 not 3 1/2