Eligible to book on NHS vaccine website - vaccinators say queue jumper

[Summerflowers209]

My dad is 63 and had his vaccine today by booking the appointment via the NHS booking link. As of yesterday over 60s became eligible. However, the vaccinators at his appointment were not impressed and said he should not have booked as he is not over 65 and he should have waited for a letter. They said he has queue jumped. Is this right? That if it allows you to book, you shouldn't unless you receive a letter?

*To add - as of yesterday over 60s became eligible if they try and book though the website hasn't updated to say this it says over 64s.

He's right.. They are wrong.. They changed the age limit a day or two sgo

I have a similar problem - DD showing as eligible on booking webiste, but we have to book via the GP as DD only allowed to have one of the vaccines due to age.
GP says DD is not eligible and is refusing to book her in!

How did your Dad have details of the booking link if he hadn't received a letter?

Assuming he got his vaccine then no harm done so not worth worrying about now anyway

If you can book on the website then book in! Ridiculous that you are being stopped. Vaccine priority is centralised so I would ignore naysayer local doctors

It was this link which is well know of and has many threads about on mumsnet: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

Your Dad shouldn't give it another thought, except to congratulate himself on being so proactive.

Your other post said you booked on Sunday, the website said on Monday and said 65 and over, now it's 64 and over. He won't get one now, but by the time he'd had a letter it'd have certainly been his turn. Around here they're fairly hot on evidence, my Mum had to show her letter, I had to show my work badge/payslip and NHS card and DH had to provide evidence from the body he's a member of.

Yes it did say over 65, however the advice was if deemed eligible (by being allowed to proceed with a booking) then he should book, to speed up admin (now no letter is needed to be generated), and leave GP led services for more vulnerable people.

He’s right, they’re wrong. And really rude!

My Mum is 64 and has booked using the same website this week.
She reckoned that as they have her nhs number and date of birth its up to the technology to stop the process at that point if not eligible. Anyway - shes booked in for Sunday and shes ready for a battle if they want one.

Being a vaccinator is a really good thing, I'm grateful to people who are doing it. But they are not gatekeepers, they are not there to pass moral judgement and argue with people who have been able to book. If they had concerns they should raise them with their line management, not be unpleasant and rude to people who have booked in perfectly legitimately.

As always, so grateful to Mumsnet for this sort of information. I've just been able to book myself in! I guess it depends on your postcode whether there are appointments / vaccine available, but my area had loads of appointments for tomorrow. Very exciting and thank you @Summerflowers209 for posting this!

If the national booking system allows you to book in then you have been flagged as eligible in the system. The vaccinators were wrong in this instance.

I am 62 and have just booked in for tomorrow. Great news. Thanks for the information

Thanks @Summerflowers209

I wasn't aware that I'm now eligible to book for a vaccine until your post but now I've booked mine for next week.

Mumsnet knows everything!

I posted on fb to tell people group 7 could now book and most were grateful for info but got a few snooty responses too. Some people seem to think we should vaccinate every single group 6 person before we move onto the next group, even if it meant massive delays in the rollout! Everyone in all priority groups are going to be done in the next few weeks anyway.

My mum is 63 and has just booked hers via the link for Friday. If the system let's them book then they are legible, don't need to have received letter. It speeds the whole process up if people can keep a check on the online link and book as soon as they can. I am so relieved as my mum works in a school, she's been in the classroom throughout with keyworkers children but was worried about the mass return on the 8th, so this is welcome news she can have her vaccine before then.

The system will let my dad (63) book but not my mom (61) my dad does t trust it and said he is going to wait until he's called from the gp.

They called him a queue jumper?
Really?

They really did.

How did your Dad have details of the booking link if he hadn't received a letter?

The booking link is public (see above). If you are eligible it permits you to book and you don’t need to wait for your letter.

Given that vaccinators must be booking all ages now (given CEV and CV) I’m bemused as to why they would have an opinion on who was eligible, and if they called me a queue jumper I’d be complaining to someone!

I booked my husband in as he is 64 and it says on the website 64+

Bit odd that bookings are allowing under 64 at present, but as someone upthread said, they need to get the technology right, can’t blame people for booking themselves in if they’re eligible

Op, thank you so much for posting this. I knew the endless hours I spent browsing MN would one day pay off.

I've just booked in for Monday, and I'm not quite 60 yet...