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.

I hope you work through yours @Pillowcase123. Ridiculous.

Strange that when someone questions something you have said, and points out it's ridiculous, you have to through around things like "I hope you can sort out your issues". Says a lot about you as a person.

GPs could drastically reduce the number of people calling by publicising how they are doing the vaccinations.
My GP has zero on their website and zero on their FB page about it.
All it needs is a message to say

" We are working through groups 1 and 2 at the moment in order of alphabet / NHS number / ?. We expect to start groups 3 and 4 by x date and will work through in the same way. We will contact you by text /email/post/phone."

@Phymp

GPs could drastically reduce the number of people calling by publicising how they are doing the vaccinations. My GP has zero on their website and zero on their FB page about it. All it needs is a message to say

" We are working through groups 1 and 2 at the moment in order of alphabet / NHS number / ?. We expect to start groups 3 and 4 by x date and will work through in the same way. We will contact you by text /email/post/phone."

This. There is absolutely nothing on my GP's website either. Just reassurance, easily accessible, would stop people worrying and phoning.

My GP surgery has information on their website, sent letters and they’ve text to say to please do not call. People ignore it. It’s not people who can’t use the internet either because I see them posting about it on our local Facebook group!

I asked the same question on here last week, a couple of hours later I got my invitation.

If we get shielding letters generated by the NHS then it will be in the gp system and people are contacted, either by their gp or by the national NHS centralised system. Or by both if there's an overlap in them sending it out. I wasted worry time that I didn't need to.

I would check you actually need to. I have the same as you and actually, all meds place you in vulnerable but not shielding. It's only if you take 20mg+ of steroids or have high blood pressure along with your IBD that you need to shield. I will link you the official stratification from the college of gastros

www.bsg.org.uk/covid-19-advice/bsg-advice-for-management-of-inflammatory-bowel-diseases-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Its at the bottom of the page. The actual people who need fk sheild with IBD is not a lot. Unfortunately the shielding letters got sent to everyone on any immunosuppressants and then the gastros decided that it wasn't necessary. Maybe you were not contacted but my hospital (biggest centre for IBD in the country) wrote to us saying use this chart to decide which bit you're in.
I didn't bother shielding this said and I do take steroids but I couldn't be arsed.

Exactly this @Fizzybottle, I saw on an IBD Facebook group that some people had been told to not shield which prompted me to speak to my IBD nurse who sent me the BSG chart and told me to follow that instead.
So thankful as it’s meant that I was able to resume a relatively normal, though slightly more careful, life x

Received a shielding letter from the hospital dept that prescribe my immune suppressant drugs. It didn't say It was copied to my GP.

I emailed by GP practice to check. No response.

DP took a hard copy round and dropped it in the surgery postbox with a covering letter from me.

I then received a text from a GP saying she'd added me to the shielding list.

So I'm glad I checked.

Thanks I am supposed to be shielding as in addition to taking azathioprine, I have comorbid asthma (controlled with 200mg of fostair) and have been on 30mg of pred for the last month after an A&E trip for a flare.
I have a smear test tomorrow so going to just ask the nurse then as she will have my notes already pulled up.

I contacted my Gp practice as had shielding letters all last year, but no letters for recent lockdown. Receptionist said nothing to do with them and would not allow me to talk to the triage Dr. Obviously not allowed to speak to my usual Go who knows my condition very well as only allowed a random triage Dr on the day one rings if the receptionist decides you can have a triage appointment.

I can’t imagine they’ll ever get to group 4 round my way as there must be about a billion over 80s. I think I’ll quickly move somewhere with a lower age profile !

@Summerflowers101

Thanks I am supposed to be shielding as in addition to taking azathioprine, I have comorbid asthma (controlled with 200mg of fostair) and have been on 30mg of pred for the last month after an A&E trip for a flare. I have a smear test tomorrow so going to just ask the nurse then as she will have my notes already pulled up.

Fair enough yeah you should be shielding. So should I as I'm flaring like crazy and will be on steroids as of tomorrow but I have no wish to do won't.

I’ve had an invite for my vaccine today, despite not having any communication from my GP regarding shielding (only consultant and government letters) so all good.

@Summerflowers101

Thanks I am supposed to be shielding as in addition to taking azathioprine, I have comorbid asthma (controlled with 200mg of fostair) and have been on 30mg of pred for the last month after an A&E trip for a flare. I have a smear test tomorrow so going to just ask the nurse then as she will have my notes already pulled up.

I've had a smear reminder. I planned to wait until after I get vaccinated as I don’t fancy a trip to the surgery. Assuming I get it done by 15th feb and then wait 3 weeks, I don't suppose 6 weeks will matter.

Just to let you all know - I didn't need to find out as I received a text invitation to get my vaccine and today I received the vaccine :-)