Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

GP giving vaccine to his mate

445 replies

LoafEater · 25/01/2021 09:41

So an acquaintance of mine has told a mutual friend that his friend, who is a GP in out local area, called him up at the end of a vaccine session and invited him down to the surgery to get a 'leftover' vaccine. He went and had it, and is telling people how delighted he is about it.

This acquaintance does not really work (independently wealthy/lazy), is in his mid-50s and has no health issues. I am livid. My brother lives in a care home has not had the vaccine yet, and I know lots of other people, myself included, who are working front line jobs or have health conditions that won't be getting it for a long time yet. I see from the press today that this seems to be happening all over. I suspect, knowing this man, that this was pre-planned rather than a last minute thing.

Don't know why I'm posting this really as there is nothing that can be done about it now, but I found out about this last week and I am still so cross!

OP posts:
Kendodd · 26/01/2021 22:59

I've been volunteering at a vaccination hub the last two weeks, they were run off their feet today. We close at 8pm, last appointment is booked for 7.30. Every night I've worked there they've been waiting around while the last few people are late. So, it's 7.45, everyone is knackered and wants to go home, they have a few doses left so they give them to anyone who's around and wants one even if that person just happens to be somebody's partner who's just come to pick them up and take them home.
People whinging about it can fuck right off.
Or better still, stand in a carpark in torrential rain for hours on end as a volunteer trying to do just a little bit to get this vaccine delivered as fast as possible.

Kendodd · 26/01/2021 23:00

Sorry, not two weeks, it's been one week, we opened last Monday.

bellie710 · 26/01/2021 23:00

It is very unlikely he has done anything unethical as most doctors wouldn't dream of it, you probably live in a small town where the jungle drums beat wildly! I would rather anyone got it than it got wasted so yes if my friend who is a doctor phoned me and said can you get here in 5 minutes, I would go. I think there may be a deeper reason for your rage here!

Kendodd · 26/01/2021 23:02

they have a few doses left
Oh, and you still don't know if you'll need them or not if the last few who are late turn up.

Usernamerequired · 26/01/2021 23:56

“Lazy and wealthy” but maybe vunerable health wise. And as others have said-better than it getting binned

SunsetSenora · 27/01/2021 00:16

Better all the doses be used, and if they had exhausted other options, why not give it to this person? It would be criminal to waste doses.

Duemarch2021 · 27/01/2021 00:55

I dont think the leftover vaccines should be binned.. but at same time, shouldnt just be given to 'mates' there needs to be some kind of record of who its been given to, when and why... my 71 year old dad with sever asthma took his 92 year old mum to have a vaccine last week, he joked that whilst hes there they may aswell vaccinate him... the nurse said no we cant... but bet they threw away vaccines that night.... i think its silly but they do need some sort of order... maybe she could have got a form out and filled in all dads details for record purposes... and your GP should hopefully have done something similar.. dont know what his reasoning would be though.. 'cos he is my mate' doesnt seem good enough

RavingAnnie · 27/01/2021 01:37

I'm just glad they are using common sense to use up the vaccines by giving them to whoever can get there at short notice to use them up. This is happening in other countries too.

Harmonypuss · 27/01/2021 02:22

A family member aged 51 with a minor heart condition was offered and accepted the vaccine last week. Asked the gp why they were being offered so soon and told it was end of daily batch and no-one in higher priority band able to go to surgery at short notice. When I heard I was slightly jealous as I have a serious auto-immune condition but am registered with a much larger practice where there are far more people of higher priority, so I'm just glad my family member was able to take up the short notice offer. I agree with the many other posters who've said its better to give it to someone who's not next in the queue than to bin even one dose, especially now that there's likely to be a slowing down of availability from the manufacturers!

Pixxie7 · 27/01/2021 04:09

It’s one dose I really couldn’t get worked up about it everyone will be offered it.
Although I would like to know why pp thinks teachers should take priority over other key workers ie the police who I think are at far higher risk than teachers.

Ddot · 27/01/2021 06:08

Front line workers haven't been vaccinated yet. I'm not moaning, just stating a fact.
It's a shambles but it's still better than most countries. Lets all calm down, I know we are all fed up but I personally don't care who gets the leftovers so long as nothing is binned. As for giving nhs staff second dose would mean the ceiling falling in on them that's bollocks, who ever decided that should be in the stocks.

Ddot · 27/01/2021 06:23

I personally think it should be a criminal offence to throw any away. Give to anyone, don't care who. Don't care if its second dose or first, the bin should not be an option. I suggest we all carry some form of ID just incase.

TheReluctantPhoenix · 27/01/2021 06:25

Gp’s who, mostly have been at low risk from Covid, should not be able to choose who gets it.

Responsible and moral GPS are using the ‘excess’ doses to call other vulnerable patients last minute, not friends and family.

This is the equivalent of a developer giving a ‘spare’ bit of land to his mate.

Marley20 · 27/01/2021 06:25

Good, well done that GP. So just because your family haven't been vaccinated yet you would like to see leftover vaccines put in the bin rather than used? Nice, personally if I was that GP I'd do the same.

WeAreHalfWayThere · 27/01/2021 07:25

@EatingAllTheCookies

Better than binning it.
This
Rainbowqueeen · 27/01/2021 07:26

Good idea @Ddot. And encourage our friends and family to do the same

Sunflowergirl1 · 27/01/2021 07:36

@Ddot
"Front line workers haven't been vaccinated yet. I'm not moaning, just stating a fact.
It's a shambles but it's still better than most countries. "

Some are being vaccinated as part of those leftover. Where I live 500 police officers have been vaccinated when there were leftover doses instead of binning them.

And I don't think it is a shambles. Considering the volumes being done it is excellent and I have now taken several of my elderly neighbours to have it and the logistics are brilliant.

However, they don't have time like some MN have suggested to start ringing around on the list individually to get elderly people to come in for left over doses ....who often need help getting there.

I've been impressed and we should be praising them inc volunteers

Kendodd · 27/01/2021 08:53

I dont think the leftover vaccines should be binned.. but at same time, shouldnt just be given to 'mates' there needs to be some kind of record of who its been given to
As said, I volunteer at a hub, the DO record who every does is given to. Are you really imagining they just inject anyone with no record keeping?

Kendodd · 27/01/2021 09:12

It's a shambles
We vaccinated nearly 900 people at my hub yesterday, the NHS have been absolutely brilliant organising this. No compare to the private sector (Boris's mates) delivery of track and trace.
If it was like the last late I've worked (I finished at 4pm yesterday) they would have had a handful of doses left over. They don't know how many leftovers they'll have until just before close, no time to start phoning round or for people to get there. If a spare unvaccinated person happens to be about they vaccinate them. Staff are absolutely loath to but a single dose in the bin. If this means somebody on site know somebody who lives two minutes away and can come NOW good! One night a few police officers showed up at closing (somebody must have called to station or had a police officer friend).

Somebody upthread said they had an end of day open call out for anyone to show up, people told their friends and far to many showed up, fighting broke out and the police had to be called. If I'd been in charge there I would have sent all the public home and vaccinated the police.

I think if the public and Daily Mail start making a big fuss about this, demand changes etc the only thing that will happen is they will have a strict 'no deviation' list and vaccine will go in the bin.

Bluesername · 27/01/2021 09:18

yes I do actually know he has no serious health conditions.

Not necessarily true. Sometimes people don't discuss their medical situation with others, even those close to them.

Kendodd · 27/01/2021 09:18

Instead of moaning, why not do something to help.

nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk/i-want-to-volunteer

Belladonna12 · 27/01/2021 09:19

I'm on the fence. I get the fact that at the end of a busy day they are going to want to just inject anybody nearby and it's better than wasting it. However, I think going forward there needs to be more of an attempt in some vaccination centres to either inject people in initial priority groups or police. I think they are managing it at some centres.

Watermelon999 · 27/01/2021 09:48

“I think if the public and Daily Mail start making a big fuss about this, demand changes etc the only thing that will happen is they will have a strict 'no deviation' list and vaccine will go in the bin.”

Yes I think you’re right which will be a shame.

Perhaps people should stop bragging they’ve had it if they’ve managed to get it sooner than they should, then no one would be getting upset as no one would know.

Belladonna12 · 27/01/2021 10:08

Perhaps people should stop bragging they’ve had it if they’ve managed to get it sooner than they should, then no one would be getting upset as no one would know.

I agree. People should just shut up about it.

Kendodd · 27/01/2021 10:24

I would add that the vaccination programs is the ONLY thing we've done well. Shame the NHS isn't running the whole country.