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?

@WombatChocolate

I’ve had mine this morning. I turned up and they asked my name and that was it. And it wasn’t the person on the car park asking, but someone in the building who had a computer and was looking at their list. Clearly anyone who has booked is on the list.

These cases of booked people being turned away need reporting. It is exactly the kind of thing that scares people and stops them booking (especially when the front page on NHS booking site still says over 64s) and causes bottle necks in the system.

Lots of people are anxious about it all, keen not to be queue jumpers or pests to the NHS and will just roll-over and go home if someone says this to them. If someone had said this to me, I would have insisted on seeing the manager and I’m sure it would have all been rectified. However, lots of people would be really upset by this and just go home....vulnerable people who need the vaccine.

People co-ordinating it all need to be clear about the issues of different information within the booking systems (allowing over 60s to book) but the front page saying over 64s, and issues with Group 6 people having no idea if they are group 6 or not and no way to find out, and also about people being turned away who are booked.

These seem like simple things to sort when they can manage the logistically hard stuff of supplying the vaccine to the right places and running complex booking systems.

I have spent over half an hour speaking to a very lovely lady on 119, who sympathised, but could do nothing.

I was hesitant to raise a complaint, as on the whole, people running the vaccination centres are wonderful, but the odd jobsworth can really throw a spanner in the works.

If you are accepted on the system, you are eligible for vaccination. If this wasn't the case, the glitch would have been fixed days ago. I'm still bubbling!

@Abraxan

I agree, all it needs is a box for code which group 6 people have to input to allow them to book, it’s not difficult

NotSorry

This is the sort of thread that the nationals need to pick up on.

Absolutely- I can’t believe they haven’t already.The jobsworth who gave me a hard time for daring to be proactive and book legitimately either was unaware of the NHS website rules or took exception to them. It would appear from these posts she is not alone

@Smileyoriley

You’re the same age as my DH - he is 65 in 2 months and I’ve booked his. Your experience has made me nervous for him but his NHS letter arrived this morning so I will warn him and get him to take that letter with him.

Glad you managed to get yours done anyway. Horrible to be made to feel uncomfortable about it.

119 are having terrible problems this week with who is and isn't eligible.

My email says I need to bring my booking reference number and a face covering.

Nothing about ID or letters!

@ DavidsSchitt
That’s all mine said too but one of the check in people made a big song and dance about my reasons for being there

Seems that a few people are taking it upon themselves to interpret the rules, rather than just stick to their job?

I'm an NHS volunteer, so I'm not being critical of those who are helping, just that their role is perhaps not spelt out clearly at some centres.

Just heard of another person turned away from the Black Country Museum by the carpark guy, despite having a confirmed booking made through the NHS website. This is literally within the last hour! Someone needs to sort this out - whether the online booking system needs correcting, or staff need training.

Either way, it's putting a negative on such a positive thing!

@Abraxan

It's not queue jumping. Over 60s are eligible. The government department have even tweeted to say so. It's just the front page of the site hasn't been updated.

No need to wait for a letter.

I wonder whether the issue is that some NHS Trusts are now inviting over 60s but many aren't yet.

The last NHS tweet (23 Feb) says those aged 65 + should book on the website and obviously the website itself now says 64.

My local NHS Trust and local health centre don't mention the central booking website at all - they are simply telling everyone to wait to be contacted. I presume that if I was 60 and booked on the website my local vaccination centre might challenge me and consider that I was queue jumping because they would know that the 61-63s hadn't been invited yet. On the other hand someone booking in an area, where the NHS Trust is actively encouraging the 60+ group to book wouldn't face any such challenge.

On the 119 voicemail system - at one of the options - it says that they are now vaccinating over 60's.

I so sorry that your Dad had that experience. I am a vaccinator, I would never dream of saying that to a patient. He booked perfectly legitimately, it isn't my job to accuse him of deceiving anyone. Also, we're there to double check that people can safely have the vaccine, which is why we have to ask about certain medications and conditions, but that information is for us to relay to the prescribing doctor and not for us to personally judge someone's theoretical position in the "queue."

My Dad is 60 and I heard about the new 60+ vaccinations the other day so he also booked in using the online NHS form. He answered everything honestly with his NHS number. He was still a little hesitant, but I persuaded him because the system only let's you book if you're eligible (or lying about being in a specific category.) I really hope he doesn't experience the same ignorance.

Tell your Dad not to give it another moment of thought, congratulations to him on going for his vaccine.

@ajandjjmum that's interesting. It wouldn't have occurred to me to phone 119. I do wish they would get the messaging consist.

I'm 60 next month and am assuming that I'll be invited around my birthday.

@DavidsSchitt

My email says I need to bring my booking reference number and a face covering.

Nothing about ID or letters!

As someone who did a shift as a vaccine volunteer yesterday, we were not checking ID, just asking people to show us their text confirmation on their phones. We had all the details of those who were booked in, plus a printed form with all their details on ready and asked them to confirm DoB. We were doing mainly those born in the 1960s (i.e. Groups 8 & 9!)

@zafferana I don't have a text confirmation.

I have an email

I am an unpaid carer and believe I am in band 6 but the 119 service wouldn’t give me an appointment. Apparently you have to be in receipt of carer allowance. I care for a disabled child but work part time and earn just above the threshold even though ds gets dla. Got the impression the call handler was reading from a script.
Our surgery has not had any vaccine stock for a couple of weeks

[quote DavidsSchitt]@zafferana I don't have a text confirmation.

I have an email [/quote]
So take that - either print it off or have it on your phone to show the people checking you in for your vaccination.

@vickibee you don't need 119 to make your appointment.

As a carer you can simply book through the nhs website

I tried to do online but it asks if you are in receipt of ca and becuase I said no it wouldn’t let me proceed. It is ridiculous that you aren’t classes as a carer if not in receipt of ca

Thank you to this thread! I booked yesterday and have just returned home from having the jab and it all went smoothly. The NHS staff and volunteers were lovely. One of them on the door kept banging on about it being helpful if people had their NHS numbers with them, but very few people did as that's not in the instructions you are given. It made no difference at all and there was no rush to check people in, it was very careful and polite. I'm so grateful to have had it done now!

I am an unpaid carer and believe I am in band 6 but the 119 service wouldn’t give me an appointment. Apparently you have to be in receipt of carer allowance.

Two of my friends are this position but are registered as unpaid carers on the GP records. They have then been invited via the GP service to book. Are you registered as an unpaid carer with the GP?

I spotted that they had opened booking on the website to 61-64 so told a lot of my friends who are in that age group, so through me about 10 people have got booked in. If they all get turned away, I’m going to be lonely and friendless!

@MrsFezziwig

I registered with my go a couple of weeks ago as a carer but our surgery in Yorkshire has not had any vaccine for a couple of weeks. It is frustrating when you her on news that some areas are doing bands 8 and 9

[quote Fifthtimelucky]@ajandjjmum that's interesting. It wouldn't have occurred to me to phone 119. I do wish they would get the messaging consist.

I'm 60 next month and am assuming that I'll be invited around my birthday. [/quote]
The only reason I did was because I wanted to call the centre to find out why they were saying one thing on the website, and then doing another. 119 had no contact numbers, and said the only way to progress it was to file a complaint.

Despite my irritation, I think there's enough going on at the moment, without tying up people responding to complaints!

I have just received my letter asking me to book online. It predates my run-in at the hub where I was reluctantly waved through to have my vaccine, by several days. I feel like driving down there and waving it at the woman who took the shine off an otherwise brilliant set up!