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Original poster

Everyone over 70 in England can now book themselves!

442 replies

notevenat20 · 30/01/2021 14:48

www.nhs.uk/book-a-coronavirus-vaccination/do-you-have-an-nhs-number

I had no idea. Apologies if this is common knowledge.

OP posts:
Jinglealltheway22 · 03/02/2021 11:22

@AVictoryProduct

Has anyone over 70 tried and failed to book an appointment in Northumberland? A friend has tried to book for her mum, age 74, and it said she isn't eligible. I'm guessing this means her letter hasn't been generated yet?
Letters are being released on different dates in different areas, depending on when that area is ready to move down to the next priority group.

I'd keep checking every day/few days, it can't be long now before her area is ready to move on.

Original poster
notevenat20 · 03/02/2021 11:29

What does it mean to make a letter? Is it somewhere central that is running a massive mail merge or is it the local GP surgery?

OP posts:
55larry · 03/02/2021 11:39

I am just back from having my vaccine at the Bath and West show ground. All went very smoothly but there was hardly anyone there. I booked via the link on here and was delighted to be able to do so.

cyounexttuesday · 03/02/2021 11:59

I had booked my 74 year old mum an appointment at a local pharmacy vaccine hub, via the link despite her not having received the letter.
In our local paper yesterday they ran a feature about the pharmacy being a vaccine hub, but said you need a letter. Mum has, this morning rung the pharmacy who have confirmed you need to take the letter with you. So now my Mum won't go, even though she has NHS email confirming her appointment!

Original poster
notevenat20 · 03/02/2021 12:04

Mum has, this morning rung the pharmacy who have confirmed you need to take the letter with you. So now my Mum won't go, even though she has NHS email confirming her appointment!

Aren't there authorisation codes that you get at the end of booking process?

OP posts:
FourTeaFallOut · 03/02/2021 12:07

This just is not the case. My appointment became available on the 29th, I booked a jab on Feb 1st. All I needed was my booking number and NHS number. Today I got my letter to book my jab dated the 29th.

StepOutOfToxicity · 03/02/2021 12:21

@55larry

I am just back from having my vaccine at the Bath and West show ground. All went very smoothly but there was hardly anyone there. I booked via the link on here and was delighted to be able to do so.
This is very similar to what a pp said yesterday (they were told by hub staff to tell any one they knew who was a carer to go for a vaccination, even without a letter, since they had very few people booked in).

This is such a waste of the huge capacity of a hub. I have spoken to my GP about this. We are about 1 hour away from one, and cannot go there, despite there being huge availability there simply because there was an arbitrary rule implemented about being 45 minutes away or less. Thanks to all those in group 1 who moaned about this and ruined it for everyone else.

The priority list is currently working as a huge bottleneck restricting access to people who would benefit from a vaccine, when there is plenty of capacity at hubs. The GPs can only invite a tiny number of people by comparison and if you live in an area only served by GPs vaccination sites, it will take a longer than necessary to get your vaccine.

The priority list should be used to ensure that those most in need get the vaccination first, not to prevent those who come lower down the list from getting vaccinated when there is spare capacity. It is currently being use to ration the vaccine rather than prioritise the vaccine.

Jinglealltheway22 · 03/02/2021 12:50

@StepOutOfToxicity

Out of interest I tried to book my parents into a hub near my sister rather than near their home (as they are flying back to the UK from their holiday home where they have been for months) and I put in their NHS number but my sisters post code - it gave me options near my sister.

So if you are eligible but too far for the hubs, I'd try entering your NHS number and a postcode close to a hub and see if you can book.

I don't see why those prepared to travel shouldn't do so as long as they abide by all. Other covid tiles x

EndoplasmicReticulum · 03/02/2021 12:54

I booked my parents on Saturday for a jab on Sunday.

My dad's letter arrived this morning, dated 26th Jan. So the letter has taken a week to arrive, but the availability to book is obviously from when the letter is generated rather than when it arrives at your address.

All the letter says is "go to the website to book the jab".
It also says "if you've already had your jab, ignore this letter".

He is now happy that he did the right thing (there was some muttering about "shouldn't we wait for the letter" when I booked them in).

AVictoryProduct · 03/02/2021 13:21

@cyounexttuesday

I had booked my 74 year old mum an appointment at a local pharmacy vaccine hub, via the link despite her not having received the letter. In our local paper yesterday they ran a feature about the pharmacy being a vaccine hub, but said you need a letter. Mum has, this morning rung the pharmacy who have confirmed you need to take the letter with you. So now my Mum won't go, even though she has NHS email confirming her appointment!
I agree with other posters, the pharmacy have got this wrong. Everyone I know who has booked has only had to take their booking reference number which is generated when you book online. You don't need to take your letter.
cyounexttuesday · 03/02/2021 13:25

Thank you everyone, I have called the pharmacy myself. As you have all said they told me as long as she has booking reference number (which she has) she can go!

rainbowdashsneeze · 03/02/2021 13:27

I used this link to book in my mother, step father and auntie and they have all had their first vaccination.

Shellingbynight · 03/02/2021 14:01

We have a couple of friends in Cohort 4 who have booked via the site before getting a letter, one had his vaccination yesterday. The 45 minute rule seems to be 'flexible'. Another friend tried the site at the weekend and was offered three options, all over 45 minutes away. The furthest was 70 mins away (he lives near me so I googled the journey times for when my turn comes!)

I had a text from my GP today to clarify it's fine to book via the site if you want to - but please stop ringing us to ask about it.

shalalala · 03/02/2021 14:38

OP and PP's, have you thought how lives you may have saved by promoting and talking about this link on here to many who hadn't heard of it?! Smile

gisbons · 03/02/2021 14:58

@shalalala

OP and PP's, have you thought how lives you may have saved by promoting and talking about this link on here to many who hadn't heard of it?! Smile
Which is why it was so crazy when MNHQ deleted my threads about it. It's great they have helped so many - but they could have helped so many more by now! Sad

And all for... nothing?! I don't know if the "looking behind the scenes" message was an insinuation I was a troll? Ridiculous.

I asked them to re-instate them but they have just ignored me.

One day I might work up the effort to post in Site Stuff.... Hmm

Wigeon · 03/02/2021 17:53

@StepOutOfToxicity re “ The GPs can only invite a tiny number of people by comparison and if you live in an area only served by GPs vaccination sites, it will take a longer than necessary to get your vaccine.”

This is not true. Three quarters of vaccines done so far have been done in general practice or community pharmacy (the huge majority of the three quarters in general practice).

(Source: Simon Stevens at a select committee last week).

Wigeon · 03/02/2021 17:56

@notevenat20

What does it mean to make a letter? Is it somewhere central that is running a massive mail merge or is it the local GP surgery?
@notevenat20 - the National Booking System is generating letters to eligible people within 45 min travel time of the Vaccination Hubs and community pharmacy-led sites. That’s being done nationally.

The GPs are responsible for generating their own invites to GP-led sites, which could be by email, text, phone call or letter (or a mix, eg obviously they can’t text patients for whom they don’t have a mobile number).

Original poster
notevenat20 · 03/02/2021 17:59

notevenat20 - the National Booking System is generating letters to eligible people within 45 min travel time of the Vaccination Hubs and community pharmacy-led sites. That’s being done nationally.

Thanks. What do these letters say? Do they just tell you to book online? It is curious they can be so delayed from being generated to actually arriving at your house,

OP posts:
Original poster
notevenat20 · 03/02/2021 18:00

OP and PP's, have you thought how lives you may have saved by promoting and talking about this link on here to many who hadn't heard of it?!

Yes! The thought makes me immensely happy.

OP posts:
Wigeon · 03/02/2021 18:00

The GPs use their own patient lists to invite patients to their local site (usually one site is being run by a group of practices working together).

Wigeon · 03/02/2021 18:04

@notevenat20

notevenat20 - the National Booking System is generating letters to eligible people within 45 min travel time of the Vaccination Hubs and community pharmacy-led sites. That’s being done nationally.

Thanks. What do these letters say? Do they just tell you to book online? It is curious they can be so delayed from being generated to actually arriving at your house,

The letter says “you’re eligible for the vaccine, go online to book, or you can call 119 if you can’t use the website, you can also wait for your GP to contact you if you’d prefer to be vaccinated through GP services”.
Wigeon · 03/02/2021 18:05

Plus some other stuff about needing two doses, wear a mask when you go to your appointment, general stuff like that!

Wigeon · 03/02/2021 18:07

@cyounexttuesday

I had booked my 74 year old mum an appointment at a local pharmacy vaccine hub, via the link despite her not having received the letter. In our local paper yesterday they ran a feature about the pharmacy being a vaccine hub, but said you need a letter. Mum has, this morning rung the pharmacy who have confirmed you need to take the letter with you. So now my Mum won't go, even though she has NHS email confirming her appointment!
@cyounexttuesday - that’s so frustrating, given your mum is eligible, and she has booked an appointment, she absolutely doesn’t need the letter to attend her appointment. I think they are using that as shorthand for “you need to be eligible to get a vaccine”, but she clearly is.
PusheenLove · 03/02/2021 18:08

@Bsmirched

It's also for those who are ECV too.
Is it really??
Els1e · 03/02/2021 18:38

Thank you OP. I told my auntie about this. She’s over 70 but hadn’t had received a letter. Anyway she went online, was able to book in for a couple of days later. She is so pleased. 😀

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