Shielding - will my GP know?

[Summerflowers101]

I have been in the shielding group since March and was identified as someone who needs to shield by my hospital department (inflammatory bowel disease), who prescribe my immune-suppressing medication. All letters have come from them/the government. Does anyone know if this information will be known by the GP? I've never heard anything from them about it. As such I'm wondering if they will know to invite me for the vaccine. I'm loathe to call them about it as the receptionists are so rude and unpleasant.

Yes, it'll be flagged on your file. Please dont call your GP

Yes they do.

Thank you :-)

Yes - when I had my shielding letter (completely out of the blue) I rang my GP to ask why and they said they had received notification and what category it was under

I’d possibly double check. My daughter was told to shield by her consultants but it wasn’t on her record at the GP.

Yes, the letters are standard government ones but are actually sent out by your GP.

Some parts of the country have started making bookings for the CEV, since priorities 3&4 could begin from the start of the week. Others are still going through priorities 1&2.

It is a case of wait to be called. Though if it gets to mid Feb and there is talk of opening up to the next group, it would be worth calling then (because any system could be prey to human error). But not before

I would call and double check, no harm done by asking.

Getting fed up of others telling people not to all for medical advice- that is what they are there for and I’m sure they are happy to help!

I’m the same (IBD and immune suppressants) my GP told me I shouldn’t be shielding based on my condition and meds, as did my IBD nurse. I think so many people have been told that they are worse off than they are. So it depends whether they are working off a govt list or off their own assessment I guess?

So it depends whether they are working off a govt list or off their own assessment I guess?

For priority 4 it's the official shielding list

Much more discretion for priority 6

GPs are reporting being flooded with calls at the moment, asking about prioritisation. That is why I recommend that OP does not call until nearer the end of the expected time for her category. It opened only 5 days ago and runs for another 3 weeks or so.

If you don’t want to run the gauntlet of fierce receptionists, I would email. I have done this and received a prompt reply.

Btw the GP does have a list: my GP received a list and a letter from my consultant. GP even rang me up to tell me to stay in . I knew I was doomed when I received a personal call ...

I'd drop them an email just in case.

Why not just send your GP a copy of your letter?
Or take a photo and email it?

I have had 4 ECV letters since March and two duplicates of those. The first letter I got arrived in triplicate. DH has had 3 as he got his first one a couple of months after me.

Having said that, I think everything is copied to GP records anyway.

GPS keep moaning about people daring to call about vaccination. I accept that it's a pain if a healthy 50 year old calls and asks when it will be their turn, but there was eg someone who had been wrongly flagged as being housebound, so wasn't called when everyone else in her age group was, she did call, was told the issue and it was resolved. Can't remember now whether I read it on here or elsewhere.

Unless you live in Gloucestershire it's unlikely you are due for yours yet OP but once you know that other CEV in your area are being done (eg from a local Facebook group), I can't see the problem with calling up then and checking you are in the right category depending on whether the vaccines are being done centrally or by your surgery (in my area my surgery's vaccine admin is being done centrally but other surgeries in the town are doing the admin themselves). It can be quite confusing.

My mum has a chronic cancer, so clinically extremely vulnerable. She didn’t get a shielding letter the first time round although she thought she should have, but didn’t want to ‘make a nuisance’ of herself. When the vaccines were announced she was anxious that she would be missed, but again didn’t want to make a fuss. I encouraged her to speak to her consultant who confirmed she’s CEV, and then to contact her GP. Turns out she had been flagged under the wrong category (moderate risk) - the GP has corrected this and she has thankfully been offered a vaccine slot for today. The surgery were very lovely and did not make my mum feel bad for asking.

Where I am they still haven't done all the over 80s, so I am not expecting to be called any time soon. My friend up in the NE has already had hers, they are well into the over 70s and CEV group. It is a post code lottery, just like everything else.

@Pillowcase123

Yes, it'll be flagged on your file. Please dont call your GP

Eh why? Are people not allowed to contact their doctors anymore?

They may not dc1 is prescribed and monitored by hospital so wasn't flagged up on his gp records (unfortunately nhs don't have one IT system for all) we only realised gp didn't know by a chance remark during a phone consultation. It may be worth emailing /phoning gp to confirm it isn't a waste of resources if it one puts your mind at rest and two makes sure your on the list and therefore get the vaccination in the most timely fashion.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion of course people are allowed to contact their GP. I'd question the need to do so about an admin query during a global pandemic when the service is already over stretched and multiple people have confirmed the alert comes through to primary care but hey, you do you

@Pillowcase123 domt be so over dramatic

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion do you work in the NHS? Or have experienced how difficult it is right now to see every patient that needs treatment? Or understand the amount of extra admin that's already come with the virus before we have people calling up to check something that they've already been told is the case?

You're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to give make a polite request without you resorting to name-calling.

I’m in the shielding category, had letters, emails, phone calls etc but nothing from my GP, I was never invited for my flu jab from my GP surgery?

I did have my flu jab at the chemist, about a month before the flu vaccine roll out, so I’m wondering if that would get flagged up on my notes and that’s why I wasn’t invited? Don’t know enough about their computer system to know if this would happen.

So in my case, I’m not sure I’d be called, especially if they’re going off the flu vaccine lists at the GP surgery?

If you had the flu jab at the chemist and didn’t pay due to vulnerability, then they inform the GP. I took my shielding letter to Boots and they said that the vaccination record goes to GP.

@Pillowcase123 name calling? Fgs saying don't be so dramatic isn't name calling.

If someone needs to phone their doctor or doctors surgery for information, they are entitled to do that. Whether you work in the NHS or not, you don't get to make "polite requests" to people to not contact their GP. Its one quick phone call.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion except anyone can and does get to make a polite request? The OP can not agree with or follow it but the request is made

Not sure why me politely requesting someone doesnt add to an already busy time has upset you so much. I hope you work through your issues.

Happy Sunday!

@IrmaFayLear thanks for clarifying, that’s good to know.