12-15 year olds eligible for the vaccine in England

[Swirlysnail]

Has anyone's child been offered the vaccine yet?

Still not heard anything about the vaccine.

Same - called my local GP led vaccination clinic who told me to call 119. 119 referred me back to the local service. Seems nobody is responsible for getting eligible children vaccinated

Not managed to book my son in for his either, im being given a right run round the houses!

Rung GP, they have apparently not sign up to vaccinate 12-15 year olds. Told to ring 119.

Rung 119, they cant offer an appointment, told to take DS to a vaccination drop in!!! (no way would he cope with that, its in a huge bloody warehouse! told to go to a chemist that does a drop in clinic..

Rung chemist, they can only do 16 plus...

Rung CCG, told to ring PALs! and they dont have a bloody clue either. Ive now email all of the above to PALs and theyre going to pass it on to the local vaccine team. Its an absolute piss take!, how can GPs not sign up? does this mean that some doctors surgeries can simply just opt out if they choose to?

Surgeries who are not doing it are to pass the names on to somewhere else (ccg possibly) who have to make arrangements. I have just rung the doctors who have said arrangements are being made in conjunction with other local surgeries but it could be a few weeks away till appointments are given.

@Swirlysnail

Surgeries who are not doing it are to pass the names on to somewhere else (ccg possibly) who have to make arrangements. I have just rung the doctors who have said arrangements are being made in conjunction with other local surgeries but it could be a few weeks away till appointments are given.

Shame my area doesnt seem to be as organised

DS2 is having his second attempt at the vaccine on Saturday. If this fails it will be a home visit. Out of his class (all similar - autism and severe learning difficulties/disabilities) of 6 only two are being offered due to coding. Mainly due to old diagnosis, diagnosed with difficulties instead of disabilities and one aged 13 still has global development delay as his diagnosis. those waiting it might be worth viewing their child’s medical notes. If only this had been done when special schools were still open and trained staff used to vaccinating children like my son.

"If only this had been done when special schools were still open and trained staff used to vaccinating children like my son."

I know.. I think they will be doing them at the large health centre and I think that will be problematic for ds. He hasn't been there since he was a toddler. He hasn't been inside the GP surgery for several years. He has his flu vaccine spray in the car park. I hope they think about the arrangements and don't expect all of them to queue as they did when vaccinating the other groups.

For DS first attempt, I queued and did all the paperwork and then collected him from the car. We then both escorted him in (he needs 2:1) he wasn’t too bad but the vaccinator was petrified of him and it all fell to pieces. If this one fails he can be put on the home visit list.

Sorry to hear no special arrangements being made for those whose DC have special needs. For over 16s invited in the CEV/CV rounds, there were special sessions at quiet places for those with special needs, e.g. I think there was one in a special needs office/cafe (it was months ago now so I am a bit hazy on details).
Please contact your local carers group/parent carers group and raise the issue with them They were instrumental in securing some more suitable locations for the over 16s and in getting the information published (e.g. on the carers/parent carers facebook).

Our GP just said "nothing to do with us" So helpful! I've emailed our CCG to try and get some help. The government makes these sweeping statements and timescales without first ensuring they are achievable yet again!

I'm having no luck here for dd either. DH is trying to get a response from our GP. I've emailed the CCG. I did think that maybe she'd been missed but maybe not.

My GP is calling children forward but are not responding to questions about timing or eligibility. The response is “you will be called if you are eligible”. Parents are having to ask for permission to access records online and do their own detective work.

We had a phone call today and they were from the local vaccination centre. Said they were told by the GPs to call.

Booked our 12 yr old in for their first one this week. and also 16 yr old for their second as it is now due. Have a CEV family member.

@mrshoho

Our GP just said "nothing to do with us" So helpful! I've emailed our CCG to try and get some help. The government makes these sweeping statements and timescales without first ensuring they are achievable yet again!

It's exactly the same up as I had trying to get 16/17yos done (household CEV) when they became eligible at the end of March.

It took 8 weeks of requesting, reminding and prodding. Huge amount of buck-passing between 119 and GP (actually worse when 8 week part 2 needed and GP receptionist tried to wash hands of us, disbelieving that 119 did not book u18s, who then need paediatric vaccinators and only GP can arrange)

It was amazingly dispiriting - something that should be so easy, but so difficult in practice. But as far as govt was concerned we'd become eligible on 29 March, job done. Youngest got second jab only 2.5 weeks ago, all because of booking difficulties.

Sorry to be so depressing! You are not alone, and it is worth being a PITA and not letting this get overlooked. If I had done that at the outset, t would have saved everyone (including GP surgery staff) a huge amount of time and effort.

My daughters been offered her at 15 she's having it we just couldn't make the date

What actually is a paediatric vaccinator? I’m not convinced our GP led vaccination clinic even has one. I called them again and managed to book my DDs in for next week, but whether it will actually happen or they will send us away, who knows? DH convinced the clinic don’t know what they are doing…

Our GPs is a large group of practices...said they have a person in charge of the vaccine stuff they refer it to her...maybe it depends on the practice I just email them and then they get back to me when they find out what is happening. Maybe it depends where you are or something- shouldn't though.

@Schulte

What actually is a paediatric vaccinator? I’m not convinced our GP led vaccination clinic even has one. I called them again and managed to book my DDs in for next week, but whether it will actually happen or they will send us away, who knows? DH convinced the clinic don’t know what they are doing…

Someone who has the necessary qualifications to vaccinate DC.

A fully qualified GP is, AFAIK, suitable. But (a bit like pharmacies that can only offer flu jabs to over 16s or over 18s) when it is not a doctor doing the jabs, then it might not be possible. I believe it can be OK if there is a suitably qualified person running the centre, but I'm a bit hazy on the detail.

When we finally got DC first jab, it was an appointment at a GP led centre after the doctor in charge had induvidually OK'ed it. We couldn't make an appointment through 119

Nope and dh is immunosupressed.

@nether thanks. Keeping my fingers crossed all goes ahead and goes well next week… the practice cancelled the original appointments and asked me to rebook at a different time, so maybe they realised they needed someone with special training to do the jabs?

Has anyone's child had their first vaccine - just wondering what to expect re: side effects as both me and DH had AZ vaccine which I understand children aren't having? Shes 15 with cerebral palsy and autism

Sorry, meant to says shes booked in for next week with gp

My German friend’s 3 kids have had both Pfizer jabs. No side effects other than a bit of a sore arm and mild headache after first jab. After the second jab they were all a bit groggy and the 13 yo had a fever for a day.

Her other two DDs are 15 and 18 and sailed through it. Good luck!

My 12 yr old had his today we had a leaflet for children and the lady said the main thing could be tiredness and just to rest.