What happens if you are booking on the website as frontline staff but you are not

[TheAvenger]

I am a carer for a severely disabled child. Was always coded as a carer at the GP. but I work and earn slightly over the threshold for carers allowance and for that reason, my GP removed my carers flag last week. I cannot now book via the website as an unpaid carer (which I am). but I can book by saying I am frontline staff.

Would it work if I book via this route but take all my evidence for caring work (DLA paperwork, EHCP, Carers Card from local charity) and rock up to the appointment as a carer which I genuinely am (but did not book it as such).

GP will not budge and I have no energy left to fight with them.

Anyone else did this as a work around?

Look up your local commissioning group and complain to them about your GP. They are the ones paying your GP and they will want to know that a local GP practice is doing this.

www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Clinical%20Commissioning%20Group/LocationSearch/1

May also be worth talking to www.carersuk.org - your local council will be paying a local organisation to look after unpaid carers and they may be able to help you track down your local organisation.

I called 119 today and spoke to a really nice man. He said that they'll be able to make manual bookings for carers from tomorrow, Thursday 25/2. I don't know though what evidence they will require as 119 have access to GP records so it can't get around that. Seems a really off move by your GP practice.

@Boulshired

I am horrified for you. I responded on a different thread about the dangers of removing codes. The codes were not set up for covid they were set up for the risk being a carer. Which in my opinion are just as dangerous as covid.

This is correct, there are many reasons why you should be recorded as a carer on your GP record, and Covid is only one of them.

Totally unprofessional of your GP practice to remove the code, and you would be within your rights to make an formal (written) complaint, which you should send to the practice manager and your CCG. When writing it state you want to make it a formal complaint, and you expect a written response.

And I wouldn’t tell to 119 that GP remove you and so on. Just phone, press the option for booking and say you have disabled child, you are his carer and you want to book. That’s it

A similar problem here, I rang 119 and explained and they booked me in straight away.

Do change GP too though first as they sound dreadful and fill in the carers form at the same time and you will be newly registered within 2 days (took 1 day here).

Then you are also legimately saying you are a carer as you have filled in the carers form for the new practise.

I read your posts on the other thread and was horrified that you were being treated so badly.

tried 119 three times. Was hoping someone in the call centre knows a trick. not successful.

Anyone from the evening crowd knows how to get a vaccine as a parent carer of a severely disabled child when the GP is refusing the coding because I work? There must be some way around this..

This quote for Carers.org. Two days ago.....
What if I am not contacted soon and think I am eligible?

The vaccination programme recognises that these two channels will not include all carers who are eligible. A process is being developed to both identify unpaid carers not identified through these two channels and to enable previously unidentified unpaid carers to become known to local authorities and receive the vaccine they are eligible for. We will share information on this as soon as possible.

“We know that many unpaid carers will want to have the vaccine as soon as possible. If you are not contacted in the near future, please be assured that processes are being developed to allow eligible unpaid carers who are not identified through the above lists or channels, to self identify and have the vaccine. “
And here’s the link....
carers.org/news-and-media/news/post/101-coronavirus-vaccine-and-carers-faqs-for-unpaid-carers

Don’t know if it’s right, but I have read elsewhere that local carers centres will also help with identifying unpaid carers, so make sure you are registered with the local council carers centre or whatever it is in your area.
I’ve got a similar situation here...resigned now to waiting on my age group. Too much energy required to fight it. My local town has two GP clinics, if I was registered with the other I could phone the number on their website where they are encouraging unpaid carers to come forward. After all this is over I’m changing surgeries.

I read that, seven. but I still need to be coded as a carer but I can't.

No advice other than wondering how old you are, will you be qualifying for a jab through age reasonably soon anyway?

Here's a template letter you can use OP if you did want to complain

contact.org.uk/news-and-blogs/contact-produces-template-letter-to-help-carers-struggling-to-get-the-covid-vaccine/?fbclid=IwAR3pWYX9MGnzglS5HvXnRrBxiub58KJcxpxoNGqLNV6OhCKFrvUru6j7pec

@Catlover10

No advice other than wondering how old you are, will you be qualifying for a jab through age reasonably soon anyway?

nope. I will be one of the last ones otherwise.

[quote luckynumber]Here's a template letter you can use OP if you did want to complain

contact.org.uk/news-and-blogs/contact-produces-template-letter-to-help-carers-struggling-to-get-the-covid-vaccine/?fbclid=IwAR3pWYX9MGnzglS5HvXnRrBxiub58KJcxpxoNGqLNV6OhCKFrvUru6j7pec[/quote]
Thank you .

Do you have a local Parent Carer forum for families of children with DIsabilities/SEN in your area. In my area the forum is asking any parent carers who have problem with booking an appointment to get in touch for advice.

yes, I have but I am the only one having this problem. Noone else has this problem. Rather the opposite. every one seems to have had the vaccine or an appointment lined up. feels like I am the only one.

You need id as frontline staff.
Lots of parents with children in special schools but not getting carers allowance are in the same boat- I know it doesnt help but you are not alone.

That is dreadful. I'd really suggest contacting your local carers organisation for support, if you don't know who they are then contact CarersUK. In my area the local organization is excellent.

GPs being gatekeepers here whilst are local hubs are doing bloody walks in because they are empty.