How to complain about vaccine grouping?

[Watchingbehindmyhands]

So, I am eligible for the vaccine in group 6 because of my BMI (over 40). I am fortunate to rarely be ill and have very little contact with my GP. I have in writing from my GP that the groupings come from NHS England and that they therefore can’t change my current grouping of 9 to 6 as a result.

Has anyone else had this experience? Is there a way through to challenge it?

[quote GlendaBulb]@blue25
Give them a break. Imagine if everyone starts trying to do this. Just accept where you are on the priority list & in the meantime lose some weight.

^^
This, take some responsibility for yourself.[/quote]
She is taking responsibility, by contacting her doctor to have her records updated in light of the new guidance issued yesterday for priority groups.
Why assume that she is not currently losing weight?

You've got to consider this from their point of view. The GP practice can only scrape the data they currently have and offer on that basis. They won't want to open a can of worms and have many people book appointments to be weighed and measured in the next few weeks. I guess they think many with a BMI of 40 will already be known to the GP surgery as they will have other medical issues, or if not they will have previously contacted the GP if they were worried about their weight.

It's not going to be a perfect system but they have to work with the system that works best to speed up the vaccine rollout.

They can change your group. But the receptionists can’t do it on your say so.
I was in group 6 due to health condition and my medication puts me in group 4.

My consultant had to write to the gp saying I needed to be moved.

So not straightforward but yes they can move you if it’s necessary

@blue25

Give them a break. Imagine if everyone starts trying to do this. Just accept where you are on the priority list & in the meantime lose some weight.

How rude.

Imagine if everyone did what? Make sure their GP has the correct information to place people in the correct priority group? This is exactly what people need to be doing as GOs don’t have up to date info on people they don’t have recent contact with.

Please don't get a doctor appointment for this. A nurse or HCA appt is sufficient for height/weight.

@blue25

Give them a break. Imagine if everyone starts trying to do this. Just accept where you are on the priority list & in the meantime lose some weight.

Are you missing the bit where the OP should be in group 6 because her BMI puts her at greater risk of serious illness should she catch Covid? What’s difficult about that to understand? BMI > 40 = Group 6. It’s not up for debate.

There are some really rude responses here. OP, I hope you get it sorted, you are clinically within group 6 and are entirely at liberty to pursue this through the practice manager if they won’t change your record.

OP if you don’t see the doctors often, and have a BMI of 40 I’d ask for a nurse appointment to discuss your weight, consider getting blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes bloods etc checked. While you are there they can check your weight and add it to the system which will flag you for the vaccine, and if you’re open to help losing weight they’ll be able to discuss what is on offer. There are likely to be a variety of lifestyle / drug / surgical options in your situation and this might be a good prompt to discuss with them if you’re struggling to lose weight on your own.

Yep a load of people showing their true (nasty) colours on their thread. I’m quite certain they wouldn’t speak to anyone in person like this - or maybe they would and are as unkind in real life as online 🤷‍♀️

Once they start vaccinating that group you’ll be able to call the number or go online and book in the same way the over 70s and cev can right now - that’s the plan to catch those falling through the gaps. You seem so keen to be vaccinated due to your risk but if you were that concerned about the risk wouldn’t you have contacted your gp in the last 12 months for weightloss support to reduce your risk?

Just go to your nearest vaccination centre with your NHS number and TELL them you're supposed to be in Group 6 because of weight. There are lots of people there including doctors just dying to be helpful and I doubt you will be turned away. When I went no one was checking ''appointments''.

@m0therofdragons

Once they start vaccinating that group you’ll be able to call the number or go online and book in the same way the over 70s and cev can right now - that’s the plan to catch those falling through the gaps. You seem so keen to be vaccinated due to your risk but if you were that concerned about the risk wouldn’t you have contacted your gp in the last 12 months for weightloss support to reduce your risk?

Where does the OP say she hasn't tried to lose weight?

Thank you for those who have understood the issue. Everyone else, well, I am afraid that says way more about you than me.

I have had a reply to the question how do I go about getting my correct height/weight details updated with you? The response was: 'You would need to find somewhere that can take your height and weight so then your BMI could be recorded. Unfortunately, due to COVID our machine is out of action'

So my next move is the practise manager?

Could you go to a pharmacy. They sometimes have the facility to check your BMI. Take a screenshot?! I'm grasping at straws a bit here to be honest.

Ask them to ring GP on your behalf?

Hope you manage to get it sorted.

@Watchingbehindmyhands

Thank you for those who have understood the issue. Everyone else, well, I am afraid that says way more about you than me.

I have had a reply to the question how do I go about getting my correct height/weight details updated with you? The response was: 'You would need to find somewhere that can take your height and weight so then your BMI could be recorded. Unfortunately, due to COVID our machine is out of action'

So my next move is the practise manager?

I would email (not ring) the practice manager to state your concerns and ask how you are meant to resolve them. If their email Address is not on the practices website, ring and ask the receptionist for it. I hope you get it sorted. Find it ridiculous people are so devoid of empathy here whereas the consensus is very happy to jump queue when called by their mates🙄

You may be able to get it done at a pharmacy, often the machines there will give you a printout.

If this is not possible then I would insist on a nurse appointment to be checked over. You should really have a health check anyway if it has been a long time since you were last seen. Being in the over 40 BMI weight range could have other implications so best to be checked for blood pressure, cholesterol etc as well as your weight.

You have every right to have your record updated and they need to make reasonable effort to make sure that you can.

If they refuse at this point to give you an appointment then you should make a complaint in writing to the practice manager.

If it's of any help, I wanted to check whether I was in group 6 yesterday (long history of rheumatoid arthritis which is one of the immune suppressed conditions included in the "at risk" in group 6).

Spoke to the receptionist who said I wasn't currently allocated to group 6 but to write a letter (rather than email) to the Office Manager who would review it.

After I dropped off the letter, I received a text from the manager a few minutes later explaining why I wasn't eligible to be in group 6. It was very efficient and I'm grateful she double checked for me.

Honestly some GP's are so obstructive. Assuming you have a set of scales, and a tape measure, do it yourself and send the information in. There is no reason at all they shouldn't accept it. Send in a picture of yourself too.

There are all sorts of things that are medicated which require self certification of height, weight and blood pressure. In the current circumstances even more so. Don't take no for an answer.

Ah, the picture is a good idea along with measurements. Excellent. I'll try that!

@m0therofdragons

Once they start vaccinating that group you’ll be able to call the number or go online and book in the same way the over 70s and cev can right now - that’s the plan to catch those falling through the gaps. You seem so keen to be vaccinated due to your risk but if you were that concerned about the risk wouldn’t you have contacted your gp in the last 12 months for weightloss support to reduce your risk?

Group six are not able to book through central system that group is being handled exclusively through GPS.

If they don’t have a record of your bmi how do you expect them to know to put you in group 6? They are not mind readers

All you can do is speak to surgery, ask a doctor to call you to discuss, then they should be asking you in to weigh you, and then they maybe able to move you up

Until they weigh you you won’t get anywhere

Yep I am indeed known as dS carer at school, and at medical appointments, I receive high rate DLA care component and that isnt easy to get these days.
In our surgery the more you query, the more ignorant they get.

Just a thought, as I have a colleague going through this issue...

OP, have you ever declined to be weighed at any previous appointment?

Just get the vaccine when told . Why are people making things difficult? . I’m starting to suspect that many are quite happy to be in this forever.

Op sorry not going to be much help here- I’d be submitting a formal complaint to your practice manager tbh then take it further to the local trust if needs be.

The real reason I’m commenting is just to acknowledge the sheer nastiness on this thread. If it was so fucking simple do people not think the op would just be a size 6 by now ffs. Obesity is a complex illness that far too many people are quick to use against others to make themselves feel better.