Has COPD been taken off the shielding list?

[Honeyroar]

My 79 year old mother has had a letter from the Government saying she is no longer needs to shield. It says her GP or hospital dr has said her condition is improved and she doesn’t need to be in the shielding group and is no longer entitled to help with shopping etc/deliveries etc for shielding people. She’s not had any help anyway- I’ve done everything myself. But she’s not recovered from her COPD, and is generally much frailer. I can’t see why she’d be taken off the list. Just wondering if anyone else with COPD has had a similar letter?

COPD as a single condition was never sufficient for shielding

There were a lot of wrong assessments made
What assistance does your DMum need that she will no longer be able to secure?

Because a phone call to the supermarket now might be worth it, to ensure she stays on their list (shielding is pausing shortly, but people with slots will retain them, so perhaps she can link to that)

Also contact AgeUK, who may be able to find local volunteers who can help with other tasks. Did she have a council hub? Get on to them too

My mother also has COPD, we all know it is not a condition that can ever improve but can be managed. My mother got a letter to say she wasn’t to shield halfway through lockdown, my father rang Sainsbury’s and explained the situation, Sainsbury’s gave them a weekly slot until October when it will be reviewed. It’s worth getting in touch with a few supermarkets, it would be worth having a regular slot going into the winter.

Thanks. That’s interesting, I thought COPD was on the list. She also had a pacemaker fitted last year and a cancer tumour removed (early stages and they got it all), and has an ongoing neurological condition (she’s had a tough year!) so it’s possibly one of those they think is better. I’ll give the drs a ring, see if they know. She isn’t receiving any help or deliveries at the moment as I’m furloughed and able to do everything she needs.

My father in law was shielding due to COPD. He got a letter last week saying he needed to extend this. Unfortunately it arrived on the day he passed away due to an untreated chest infection and bowel obstruction that the GP refused to see him for due to the risk of Covid, despite us ringing every day and eventually taking him into A&E.

I’m really sorry @10storeylovesong, that’s awful. We’ve been very lucky with mum’s going, they’ve done five telephone consultations, one appointment at the surgery, several blood tests during lockdown and also sent her for X-ray and cat scans.

Drs not going.

@Honeyroar it sounds like she is vulnerable and should be shielding, I’m sorry she’s had such a bad year, it might be worth putting something delivery wise in place incase god forbid you couldn’t help her for whatever reason.

@honeyroar thank you. I'm glad your mum is recieving much better care and hope she continues to stay healthy.

I suspect the letter she has received is the standard government 'shielding is being paused: you do not need to shield' letter, referring to the changes from the end of July.

However, a few patients are being told to continue shielding indefinitely, as per the poster above (many condolences on your loss). I suspect your mother would be best to ask one of her consultants or her GP for a personal assessment of the situation.

The letter definitely said a dr had said she no longer needed to be on the shielding list, not that shielding was unnecessary after July (that’s what I was expecting). I’ve got to take her to the Dr for a blood test on Thursday so will ask them then.