Has anyone in group 6 had any success using the NHS jab booking site?

[MyBossIsATwat]

I am group 6 and have been checking at least once a day. I feel the urge to check about once an hour now and I know it’s not healthy!

Has anyone in group 6 been able to use it yet? I think I want the answer to be ‘no’ because then I can hopefully get over my obsession and resign myself to waiting to be contacted by my GP.

I’m in group 6. S few of my friends in group 6 got their texts this morning but I’ve not had mine. Any group sixers in the north east got theirs yet or still waiting?

Those who are carers and receiving carers allowance - did you have to take any proof with you? Wondering if I need to dig out my letters in preparation for when it's my turn!

Friend of mine is group 6 and had her vaccine last Friday.

Though dd is same area and also group 6 and she hasn't heard.

Friend had a major reaction and ended up in hospital for 3 days!

@Numbers432

Those who are carers and receiving carers allowance - did you have to take any proof with you? Wondering if I need to dig out my letters in preparation for when it's my turn!

Thanks for asking this, useful to know! I should be group six as I am a carer receiving CA. But haven't heard anything yet (wouldn't otherwise be G6 as am in my thirties in good health). I think we're still doing over 65s here though.

Thanks helpful post

They have just said on the briefing that group 6 will be via the GPs and over 65s via 119 and the online booking system.

@freezingcoldsnow

My husband is group 6 and no info. He's a carer for DS but was told by the GP receptionist he wouldn't be a priority regardless so I hope it's not GP led as they obviously don't agree with carers being included.

This is what I got from my GP, a refusal to register new carers. That is the problem with all of Group 6 solely being decided by GPs - a huge disparity between different surgeries and a very long wait for some. Meanwhile, surely the mass vaccination hubs are going to be hugely underused since the older population prefer not to travel far. Many areas are not within the 45 minute distance restriction of the mass hubs and in these areas the GPs have to do all the group 5 and all the group 7.

I am starting to worry how on earth people in group 6 are all going to get vaccinated at this rate.

I was really hoping it would be sorted before schools go back on March 8th, otherwise, what is the point of prioritising the clinically vulnerable if they can't get a vaccine before schools go back?

Both DH and I are group 6. He was contacted by phone last week and was vaccinated on Saturday. I haven’t heard anything. Definitely can’t book via the NHS website. I’ve tried a few times and it says not eligible.

You wait to be contacted then you will be sent the link .

I've only had my group 4 invitation today, guess my area must be really behind

Meanwhile, surely the mass vaccination hubs are going to be hugely underused since the older population prefer not to travel far

The older population have been done. No reason why 65 to 70s can't travel. If they were very infirm they would have been in group 4.

Many areas are not within the 45 minute distance restriction of the mass hubs and in these areas the GPs have to do all the group 5 and all the group 7

I thought this was the case for me. Never heard a word from our rural GP and I am CEV. Nearest large centre well over an hour away. In fact the online booking offered me two cities both much more than 45 minutes (which I would gladly have taken). However there was a small centre in a nearer town at a pharmacy.

@Skap

The online booking site is not doing group 6. They can only be identified by GPs. I imagine this is because there is no national database covering all the myriad groups who may be CV regardless of age, whereas the CEV were all on a central system.

This.

Nationally they can't easily identify Group 6, so it will be GP based.

If you're group 6 because you're a carer, if you're registered on the GP system then they will call you but otherwise you could check and see if there's a way to register yourself as a carer locally - our local carers representation organisation is compiling a list.

I'm group 6 and had my first vaccination a couple of weeks ago, much earlier than I expected.
I was sent a text from my GP surgery with a link to enter my details which then allowed me to book.

DM is group 6 and is getting her vaccination tomorrow (North east), she got a text from her GP surgery to arrange it.

Here’s the official letter to the GP-led sites confirming that they should focus on group 6 and the big vaccination centres and community-pharmacy-led sites will focus on the 65-69 year olds: here.

The letter also has a bit more info on definitions of eligible patients in group 6, although more guidance coming this week.

I had a text message telling me there were spare vaccine slots and giving me a link to click to book on the website. By the time I got there the appointment was gone but I was able to book one for a few days later. I am group 6 - a carer. Vaccine now booked for Weds.

freezingcoldsnow
You need to complain. I emailed my GP surgery and asked them to check I was on their system as a carer for my dc with disabilities. I had a reply within two days saying yes and confirming I would be vaccinated. Three days later I was sent text to book. Avoid receptionist and send email to practice manager.

@Wigeon that’s interesting, I wonder what the vaccination centres are going to do in areas like ours where the GPs have already done a lot of group 5, will they just sit empty whilst the GPs deal with the much bigger numbers of group 6?

just phoned 119 still doing 5s.
yet my mum rings some number for her local vax clinic gets in straight away. both group 6. weird

Epilepsy so think I'm group 6
No contact yet

@hartof

I got the text from my gp on Friday and will have mine on Wednesday. I'm in Manchester.

Me and DH got texts on Sat and are also booked in on Wed in Manchester.

[quote Eccle80]@Wigeon that’s interesting, I wonder what the vaccination centres are going to do in areas like ours where the GPs have already done a lot of group 5, will they just sit empty whilst the GPs deal with the much bigger numbers of group 6?[/quote]
This is my concern.

It will be a huge bottleneck to funnel all group 6 through GPs who will be manually checking who is entitled, although I believe for carers there is a code that can be added as a diagnosis code, which would make it possible for these group 6 patients to be picked up by the national booking system.

Once they have done group 5, will they move onto group 7 at a national level? If so, group 6 will be left behind.

Our surgery is on FB as is our health board we have to telephone an 0300 number. They said today that the centre had left over jabs so if you were 65 or over to ring up and grab an appointment. If you knew someone else that was, contact them asap. It is different then in my part of Wales.

I’m group 6, gp emailed me today to say they would send me a text within the next 4 weeks to go in for vaccination.

There is another thread just started on this board about how in Leicestershire the mass hub is so empty they have had to appeal on the BBC to get people to go there.

This Group 6 bottleneck is going to be a big problem. It is basically stopping people getting the vaccine unless they are one of the lucky few (very few) picked by their GP.