GP giving vaccine to his mate

[LoafEater]

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!

[GetOffYourHighHorse]

'Running a standby list takes resources and time that GPs (and other healthcare providers) really do not have right now. We are on our knees out here.'

It really doesn't. It is indeed their job to be logged in to patient details all day long. I would presume there is software that flags up over 80s, they don’t have to trawl through thousands of records to scrutinise date of births 🙄.

It is not ok to ring their friends when they should be ringing the over 80s if there are any 'leftovers'.

[rwalker]

My cousin does vaccination and has done this purely because they need a few people there and then .

To start ringing people at the end of shift as much as they want it people piss about would be a nightmare .

They did set off with good intentions of getting people in further up the list but it was VERY difficult . Few never turned up some said they be there then rolled up 30 minutes late ,Other wanted to know the absolute in's and out's of everything not just a quick call to get here NOW.

The alternative is it goes in the bin.

[GetOffYourHighHorse]

'A friend of a friend told a friend - Chinese whispersI am not saying it is not true but there is now way of knowing all the facts even if there is some truth to it'

You see we all have heard it goes on. The reason they don't admit it openly is we all know it is unethical and also demonstrates some practice's abysmal organisational skills.

[lovelemoncurd]

Honestly it's threads like this that will mean hundreds of doses now get chucked out!

It's the 'what about me, what about me brigade'

[20mum]

If people are nearby to where there are vaccines, and therefore can rush in at short notice to prevent vaccine being thrown away, why on earth would anyone be annoyed to see in in an arm instead of in a bin?
Of course in a perfect world any surplus would go to a 90 year old in a care home who has not yet had it. But he can't race to the centre, and one of the staff is already there, or one of the neighbours can be there in two minutes. The problem I do see is that people may wrongly think the moment they have the jab they can go and mingle, which makes me suspicious about stories of students lining up to take the end of day stock. No problem in them having the jab, just their motives and delusions may be a danger to others.

[MarieIVanArkleStinks]

People are too concerned by half with what other people are doing. Look at it this way: every jab means one step closer to a possible way out of this limbo. Better in someone's arm than the incinerator.

Pointy-elbowism and 'Report thy Neighbour' are neither of them good looks.

[whatswithtodaytoday]

I honestly don't have a problem with this. The more people vaccinated the better, and at over-50 he'll be done fairly soon anyway. It's not like he's a healthy 20 year old (although I wouldn't be too bothered about that either).

If you know someone wants the vaccine and will turn up immediately then far better ring them that someone you don't know, who might say they're coming then not bother.

[bloodyhairy]

YANBU.

[LoafEater]

@Skipsurvey

yet another thread on envy for the vaccine.
listen to yourself.

I am not envious at all, I am happy to wait my for my (clinically decided) turn.

It surprises me that at this Gp surgery, when they were getting to the end of the session with leftovers, the admin staff could not make a few phone calls to the next patients on the list to see if any of them could get there quickly. Instead he just called up his mate. Is there no middle ground, no second way of doing things? Are you ok with people jumping in front of you in a queue? If all GPs did this then thats thousands of people jumping the queue. If you are ok with that then fine, but you dont need to be rude to people who expect things to be done fairly.

[endofthelinefinally]

It depends how long you expect the staff to stay behind at the end of a long day, phoning round and waiting for people to get there. They probably do have a short list of people within 5 minutes travel time. As others have said, once opened, the vaccine has to be used quickly, so better in someone's arm than in the bin.
I am absolutely shocked that some centres are being compelled to throw vaccines away.

[Poppingnostopping]

It should never ever be thrown away. A friend is likely to rush down in a way that a patient may not be able to- so I think it's fine. Totally happy to vaccinate all in the vicinity if it's left over, GPs and nurses and HCAs should be done first though, it's crazy to not let them take the vaccine as is happening in some places.

[GetOffYourHighHorse]

'Honestly it's threads like this that will mean hundreds of doses now get chucked out! It's the 'what about me, what about me brigade'

Again, they should have a standby list of eligible patients. It isn’t difficult.

I could not care less about me. I do however care about the over 80s and the CEV who are at risk of severe symptoms.

.

[Witchend]

You know an awful lot about this person who is an "acquaintance". I'm sure I wouldn't expect to know if an "acquaintance" of mine had health issues.
In face I found out fairly recently that someone I know fairly well has a heart issue, present from birth. She runs (certainly 10k races), swims, never seems ill, but actually the condition is quite serious. I assumed she was shielding because of her dh, but no, they're shielding because of her not the other way round.

Anyway, I'd rather it went to anyone than was thrown in the bin.

[PinkyParrot]

If it's jabs for your mates it is bluddy awful and personally think people should be prosecuted for stealing from the state.
If it's genuinely giving a left over vaccine to someone who can jump in the car ie is relatively nearby, has no care commitments, has a car outside, is fit then it's hard to criticise.

[Skipsurvey]

op you dont know that they didnt call anyone else and no response

[Oreservoir]

Op the only mistake the gp made was to give this vaccine to a gossip.

And having tried to get my 90 year old df out of the house in less than half an hour I completely understand why the surgeries are not randomly ringing octogenarians to turn up at the last minute.

[Backbee]

Again, they should have a standby list of eligible patients. It isn’t difficult.

But it is difficult to manage.

[Littlefluffyclouds13]

How the hell do you know he doesn't need it? Some people are incredibly private about health problems and many are hidden.
You sound horribly judgmental, yuk.

[MedSchoolRat]

I wouldn't even be arsed if they went in prisoners arms f the alternative is the bin

Prisons are reservoirs for community infection because prison staff go home at night & to other places too. It's a good thing to innoculate prisoners, this will reduce how much covid is in the rest of the community.

"Friend of a friend of a friend"... pfffft.

[Sparklfairy]

@Backbee

first come first served waiting room for vaccines leftover at the end of the day would be cool.

Yes that sounds like a great idea, encourage lots of vulnerable people to congregate in a room for hours, when they might not even get a vaccine if there aren't enough left.

Which is why I said logistically and practically it isn't a brilliant solution even if you had them all wait in their cars, or outside - there's nowhere to even go for a coffee. The point is the best solution involves ready and willing people right there, right now to ensure zero wastage. I'm not sure what the answer is.

[MessAllOver]

Would you really be happy for your 85 year old parents or grandparents to be called and told to turn up for an appointment in half an hour? I wouldn't.

[endofthelinefinally]

I agree with pp saying how long it takes to get an elderly person out of the house at short notice. I could never have achieved less than an hour with my parents or PIL. Apart from anything else, a lot of over 80s don't drive.

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

Why des any leftover have to be binned?

Surely the stuff lasts more than a few hours?

[megletthesecond]

Good. Better than binning it.

[endofthelinefinally]

@SchadenfreudePersonified

Why des any leftover have to be binned?

Surely the stuff lasts more than a few hours?

No it doesn't.