group 6 - when will I get my vaccine?

[pleasevaccinateme]

I've not had an invite from my GP, and heard they haven't started on local group 6 yet Its difficult to see over 55s being able to book online when I can't. I know that's selfish of me, I know I'm not special, I know millions of others are waiting too, I know I'm lucky to be in the UK where vaccine rollout going well.
But I'm 46, and terrified now my children are back in school. I'm trying my best to hold on, but its so hard when I don't know how long I am holding on for.

CxHB cycle of doom is exactly it And its that thing of stress linked to powerlessness & lack of information. I don't know if I can't book because there's been a mistake (where? should I be pushing someone to fix it? if so who?) or because I just need to wait another x days then I'll be able to book. Sigh.

Going to try and get a grip this pm and find my patience & perspective & courage

Group 6 is being sent invites by GP and these let you book nearby, whilst I am 59, no health conditions, but can book through the NHS website, but some distance away. Group 6 is very large, if not the largest, so it’s down to GP practice to decide what order people are invited.

Group 6 has been a complete pain. My husband and I are both group 6, and were vaccinated last week (we are both in our 30s).
My friend and her husband are also group 6 (also in their 30s) and they haven't heard a thing. We live in the same town but different doctors surgeries.

@Mindymoo Apparently group 6 are eligible able to book on NHS website too now - someone posted this link upthread. Not all of us can though, it seems www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/who-can-get-the-vaccine/

Yes pleasevaccinateme my usual way to try and fix my stress is to find ALL the information so I know how to fix or do whatever it is, and it's not working at all this time! At least no one can say we've not tried 😂

I'm in group 6 but my GP surgery is doing group 6 by age. Yesterday they told me they're still doing over 60s. Can't figure that one out as anyone age 55+ can get theirs through the national booking system. No point arguing though

Hello @pleasevaccinateme

Another possibility is to see if your GP surgery can put you on the waiting list for any same day/end of the day appointments? My GP surgery called me to see if I could be in the surgery within 30mins to get my jab as they'd had some no-shows and they wanted to use the last of that day's vaccine doses. I Couldn't make it in time sadly but the next day I got an text invitation from them to book online for a vaccine at the local hub. I don't know if this was coincidence or not, but maybe worth trying? 🌹

I’m in a similar position. Definitely in group 6, but can’t use the Central booking system.

I had a text invite from the GP last Friday, but there has been no availability at the one centre that is close to me. The other 2 options have had some appointments (I have been checking regularly) but both are some distance away and there are 3 hubs that are closer with better transport links.

I have called 119 and the GP surgery but neither can do anything. So I just keep trying both systems 😭.

Given Group 6 (clinically vulnerable) are listed in the front page of the NHS online booking system, and have been for about a week now, I would contact your GP.

There seems to be a chance you haven’t actually been included in group 6. This will turn out to either be an error and you will be added or it will be that you’re not actually Group 6.

Given the group you’re in should be able to book now and you can’t, phoning is the wise thing to get clarity.

The same would be true, for example if a 59 year old couldn’t book....clearly their age makes them eligible, but if the system doesn’t let them thorough they’d need to speak to the GP.

Wombat just out of interest, are you actually involved in the rollout or just interested in general?

The posters in here have spoken to GPs and got nowhere except a confirmation of group/cohort 6.

In our area GPs are only doing clinically vulnerable, everyone else has to go be mass vaccination centre.

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

Have you checked to see if your GP surgery has a Facebook page?

Ours has no updates on their website it's all on the Facebook page. They posted an announcement when they were going to invite group 6

Facebook page?? Mine are still operating a fax machine!

Yes.

With regard to those who have had confirmation of Group 6 status but not been offered any appointments yet and aren’t able to book on the national system;
As Lemon says upthread, if you have been confirmed as Group 6 and cannot book on the national system, there is a problem, because you should be able to book.

You can either go back to the GP again ...it might help to email so it’s in writing and ask for a reply from the practice manager or a GP. Be clear that you have already been confirmed as Group 6 (say the date that conversation was had and who with) and that you have spoken to 119 and you have tried to book online and can’t. Say you are going round in circles and are anxious about being vaccinated and would like some help to get booked as you are in a currently eligible group.

You could sent the same email to the CCG too.

There will be some problems ....sometimes people’s names are not recorded as they usually spell them and that causes problems in booking, or other things will create problems. It won’t be 100% smooth for everyone. However, if you are in a currently eligible group and cannot access the booking systems, someone has to be prepared to help you. You might feel like a pest, but you will need to persist if there’s a problem in the system with your record, if you’re not to wait until your age group.

Putting things in an email, being really clear about who you have already spoken to with dates, and being clear that you’d like a reply and help from someone (named or job title) should get things moving. Copying people in and/or saying you feel you will need to approach the CCG next should get things moving.

This all applies to those who are confirmed in Group 6 and who haven’t been offered anything yet and can’t get through the national booking system.

For those who have been offered appointments that don’t suit them, they will just have to wait a bit longer. There will often be people who don’t get vaccinated at the first available opportunity....they either don’t book as soon as they can, or when looking don’t like the times or locations offered and hold out for something else. Everyone eventually will be contacted by the GP led services if they don’t book by some other means I respond to invitations, but it might take some time.

Jaxx, the national system is likely to offer you a mass centre which is likely to be further way than the GP has offered you.

If you are able to be a bit more flexible about location or ask for help with transport (which is available..lots of voluntary services doing it) then you’re more likely to be done sooner. If you can only go to one place when your GP feeds several, especially if it’s small or doesn’t operate every day, you might have to wait a while.

The fact you’ve already been contacted by the GP means you’re in their system. Not only are they trying to offer it to you now and you can access appointments, they are very likely to be closer than if you went through the central system.

Hope you get booked soon.

Hope all you Group 6 people get booked really soon.

Reading back up the posts from today, several people still do t seem to realise that the national booking system is now open to Group 6 and they are listed as eligible on the front page. Some people seem to be waiting for a letter, without realising they don’t need one.

Very frustrating though for those who haven’t been contacted by their GP services for local vaccine AND who can’t access the national system either. Some might well not be recorded properly as Group 6, but clearly lots if you have had it confirmed and so that’s even more odd. But as you can see, the GP led vaccine service (using local booking system) and mass centre service (using national booking system) and 2 separate systems and working independently and not always aware of what the other is doing. I think that’s why people keep getting passed back and forth. Ultimately the GP led system should be able to sort it out. Clearly they do t want loads of people ringing al, the time, but when there is clearly a problem, you just have to bite the bullet and write bpvia email or ring again and not be fobbed off.

Thanks Wombat. I have to admit, I'm worried about being a pest when I need them to do my prescriptions etc 😂. I actually want to talk to them about something unrelated to the vaccine but related to the condition that puts me in group 6, but I'm scared to annoy them more than I have.

So I come here and complain instead I guess.

Wombatchocolate - I booked my husband’s vaccine in so know what locations are available. I live in Central London, and the hubs at Guys, St Thomas’ and The Crick Institute are all very easy to get to for me.

The GP service is offering one Central location - the other two are in Kentish Town and Hampstead - so as I said further and less well connected than the hubs. I get this is unusual - but it is still true.

I am hopeful availability will be added to the local location and at least for the next few days will continue checking frequently for availability.

The 119 operators are unable to help. They sent an email on Friday on my behalf, but acknowledged they had no idea how or if these issues were being dealt with.

It seems so patchy. I'm also in Group 6 - unpaid carer, the surgery contacted me to confirm this and a few weeks later I had a call asking me to attend the next day. A day after I had my first jab, I also got a letter in the post inviting me to book in online at the local large vaccination hub. This was a week and a half ago now.

I suppose it mostly comes down to local demographic make-up, so it's going to be patchy, but so frustrating, Hope you get your appointment really soon, OP.

Group six, had the invite about five days ago, booked for 25 Mar and 10 Jun.

Coming back to say big thank you WombatChocolate for your advice and to everyone for sharing what you know. Still no luck for me with vaccine booking, but I'm still trying, and with your help Wombat I'm now asking the right questions of the GP surgery. Come on, vaccine!

My DD has had a text confirming group 6 and a link to book via the GP surgery (which has no slots available). She is temporarily living back with me so would much rather book a super hub nearer to us but cannot book through the NHS site and 119 cannot help.

Just keep looking at the GP link every few hours and slots will come available. They are likely to be local and not far off in terms of time. You are more likely to get done more quickly via the GP booking service than national booking service which’s ems to be booking 2-3 weeks ahead now.

Yes, you might have to look several times..but if you’ve got the link to book, you will be able to book very soon.

Update from me. I was able to book an appointment for the 20/3 via the GP service on Wednesday.

This morning I received a text saying I could book on the main booking site due to an underlying health condition - so the computer has finally stopped saying no!

Booked in tomorrow at Guys and cancelled the GP service appointment. 🥳

Great news! 🎉

🥳 That's great!