Turned away from booster clinic despite being invited

[AlwaysaLittleBitTired]

Just a note for information really…

My GP surgery texted a few weeks ago to say that I am eligible for a booster jab - I had both initial vaccinations early on after being invited to book, so am now >6months - I presume because of asthma (I changed medications last year to control worsening symptoms, but it isn’t severe).
I attended my booster appointment yesterday, but was turned away on the basis that I do not meet the eligibility criteria.
There is clearly an issue with the system sending out invitations, when the eligibility criteria for the booster is more specific than that for the initial jabs. They were apologetic at wasting my time, but that isn’t really the problem. They probably took 10-15 minutes of their own time on the day trying to find out what to do, and to then explain to me, which wasted time they needed to help other (mainly elderly) people who were there being vaccinated. What a mess!

For asthma, they tell me it now has to be oral (non-inhaled) steroids, taken daily, to be eligible for the booster.

I kept checking on line and kept getting that we weren't eligible, DH mid 70s and disabled me late 60s both over 6 months since 2nd jab. Eventually it came up as we could book so I did. Got there and we weren't on the list but they checked and we were obviously eligible so they did it.

Then we got text message to say we were eligible.

Then we got letters saying we were eligible.

Total chaos.

Hope you get your jab.

I was in the original group 6, I have my booster booked for the 17th. I went online and used my nhs number, which then said I was eligible and offered appointments. I haven't had a letter yet from the GP as mine was rubbishly slow at getting first doses out.

It is a complete shambles.

You can't apparently book says my 119 until the 177 days or 6 weeks plus on the spot. So you can't book ahead (so how do they know what booster you need?) even for walk ins. None of the 2 walk ins in my very large county currently have availability for boosters of either AZ or Pfizer. I have acquaintances of mine in other counties who have been able to walk in.

On top of which the government (okay, according to the Daily Fail) are now saying you can apply from Monday for a booster ahead of your 26 + weeks.

Do they actually know what they're doing? Have they told GPs and walk in centres? Will enough relevant vaccines be there since this volte face? Does 119 know when you call to book?

I've just managed to book my booster on the NHS website and I'm 5 months today from 2nd one.

On the site it says it is going live from the 8th for 5 months, not sure how I managed to do it today though...

I have been a volunteer at vaccine clinics since January.

I now have the delightful job of asking people for their cards/second dose dates as I’m the front of house.
I get told the cut off date at the start of the day.

If their second dose date is too recent, I have to turn people away.

It is not fun.

Most people take it well.

Lots don’t.

I turned one guy away twice. Luckily he took it well enough and came back the third time for his booster.

Their GPs have all invited them to come.

I never volunteered to be the Bad Guy.

Please check, 182 days from second dose.

Unless you are on chemo, or a transplant patient, then you have separate rules.

@crosstalk

It is a complete shambles.

You can't apparently book says my 119 until the 177 days or 6 weeks plus on the spot. So you can't book ahead (so how do they know what booster you need?) even for walk ins. None of the 2 walk ins in my very large county currently have availability for boosters of either AZ or Pfizer. I have acquaintances of mine in other counties who have been able to walk in.

On top of which the government (okay, according to the Daily Fail) are now saying you can apply from Monday for a booster ahead of your 26 + weeks.

Do they actually know what they're doing? Have they told GPs and walk in centres? Will enough relevant vaccines be there since this volte face? Does 119 know when you call to book?

Have you tried just booking online?

That's what I did today and no trouble at all

Please check, 182 days from second dose.

Unless you are on chemo, or a transplant patient, then you have separate rules.

These people are due 3rd primary dose, not booster? As is my friend who is neither of those things. So either you are turning away eligible patients or your post is not accurate and may dissuade eligible people from going.

I don’t envy you the job you are doing in these circumstances but I had to work really hard to convince my friend she really should go because she kept reading things saying she was definitely not eligible. The problem is the system not correctly flagging the right patients, not that the patients are not self-selecting correctly.

@How2Help

Please check, 182 days from second dose.

Unless you are on chemo, or a transplant patient, then you have separate rules.

These people are due 3rd primary dose, not booster? As is my friend who is neither of those things. So either you are turning away eligible patients or your post is not accurate and may dissuade eligible people from going.

I don’t envy you the job you are doing in these circumstances but I had to work really hard to convince my friend she really should go because she kept reading things saying she was definitely not eligible. The problem is the system not correctly flagging the right patients, not that the patients are not self-selecting correctly.

Apologies, there are other categories of people that qualify for a ‘third dose’ instead of a booster, I did not list them all.

If anyone turns up with a consultants letter, I always let them through to be dealt with by the person running the clinic. Often that person is expected as the clinic admin are from local GP surgeries so know their more complex patients anyway, and they’ve given me a heads up to expect them. If the queue is slow, I often pop in and say Mr Bloggs is here officially too early but he said he has medical reasons, they confirm for me so I can go back to the queue and reassure Mr Bloggs he will be seen. Or they come out and check and either tell him to wait or send him home.

These third dose people will then be getting a fourth dose in due course, they should know about this from discussions with their doctor/consultant/etc.

I was talking about the average person and explaining that there may be individuals in the queue with you who are ‘early’ but still get seen.

I hope that’s clearer.

Yes, fair enough I misread what you wrote, my apologies.

The words booze up and brewery spring to mind here. So, to protect yourself and the NHS, you obediently attended the vaccination centre as instructed by your doctor, only to find they wouldn't jab you. Meanwhile the government is telling everybody to get their boosters....

I've just booked a booster jab online. It will be 180 days since my second jab - will I be turned away? I would be mortified if they said no. Should I change the appointment?

I really can’t believe that they didn’t just give it, we would have at the hub where I work.

And yet Sky News have just run an item threatening Christmas restrictions if people dont get their boosters. Gaslighting and abusive.

Chris
@Chris_Chapman61
·
4h
Replying to
@SkyNews
Chance would be a fine thing. For my very elderly in-laws to get their booster they would need a 70 mile round trip that they are not fit enough to undertake. As a result no booster even though well past the date they should have had it.

Pat Clark
@MrsTastic
·
5h
Replying to
@SkyNews
Chance would be a fine thing. I know old and ailing oldies who queued for hours for booster in the last fortnight after making endless phone calls for one. Cancer patients need four.

Bored In Lockdown
@BettyBo89766165
·
1h
Replying to
@SkyNews
Had my appointment through for it. 5 weeks late..should of been Oct 28th, none avaliable till 4th December!!

Allison Dawson
@AllisonR1945
·
6h
Replying to
@SkyNews
Just to point most people who want a booster have been trying to get one. The problem is until 6 months and 1 week you couldn’t and as if you’re elderly and you get a letter telling you to log on and book, you might not be able to. It’s about accessibility not will!

@ShakeTheDisease

But your own GP practice said you were eligible! And texted you. I would be really cross about this. We desperately need more protection for the winter, someone has shown up, and they're looking for reasons to send you away? Make it make sense! I would contact your surgery and ask for their help to sort it out.

Yes. I feel like January 2020 if you were called early by accident you would have dithered about taking it - worrying that by taking your vaccine you were almost stealing it from a 90 year old who would almost certainly have died etc etc but now, I mean… you have someone standing in front of you ready and willing to take their booster, just give it FGS!

Just booked my booster appointment for Dec using Gov.uk website. Kept saying appointment unavailable. Third time lucky. I have now received several texts with my 3 appointments!! Can’t cancel any as the system now has a fault. Will ring 119 in the morning.

I had a text invite, but booked a week earlier online as it's a more convenient time and location. It's in November, so really surprising to read people can't get December appointments; have they perhaps miscounted from their second jab date? TBH it sounds like it's the same as first time round for group 6 where different CCGs take different views on pushing people through or lots of checking, extra effort and getting delayed... then it'll move into the lower age groups with no hassling at all. I have a GP text, so I'll show that and any letter than turns up in the interim; I don't think it's useful to discuss ranges and severity of medical conditions with randoms at the site when a GP or consultant puts someone through, it's only allergies that are relevant. @AlwaysaLittleBitTired - could you try booking at a different site and take the approach of just "my GP invited me and it's over 6 months, I have a range of conditions"?

The whole thing is a mess. Had my booster today but not without an argument at the vaccine centre! I got a doc text telling me to get my booster- oh and a second nhs text telling me the same thing. Went with personalised doc text to book ( as was actually closer to home). I’m over 6 months since second jab. Got the third degree on why I was there. Doctor’s text I said. I think I was early in the first round because I had steroid inhalers to control asthma- before. And told them I was pregnant. The vaccinator said she wanted to give it to me - particularly as pregnant women are vulnerable from delta variant- but had to check. All came back fine but while vaccinator was away, the admin lady was just saying they’ve changed the rules and just trying to follow national guidance and basically lacking any human or compassionate feeling at all. Guidance had been changed she said and the computers automatically send out to everyone over 6 months. Not our issue we said- we are here because we were asked to Come and had booked. and only allowed for over 40s and extreme clinically vulnerable groups she said. I was in the early group the first time around and it’s been over six months, plus given the PM’s announcement yesterday about omicron, potentially turning away or turning away people is unacceptable. Vaccine centres shouldn’t question it if you’ve booked on the back of a doctor’s text. It’s ridiculous. I think we only swung because I was pregnant and vaccinator was a reasonable woman. It’s a disgrace. All pregnant women should be on the vulnerable list. To OP, I’m livid for you. Contact your GP. Good luck xx

I'm having a nightmare trying to book my booster jab. I've been sent a text to book it as I'm in Group 6 & it's just over 6 months since I had my 2nd jab.
NHS website says nearest available is 25 miles away.
Which is bonkers seeing I had my initial jabs at a local medical centre & we have a massive walk in place in the city, however it says the walk in place isn't offering the booster!

My friend in the next county had her Covid booster at her local pharmacy & there's loads of places available.

Going to check with my GP practice tomorrow as they arranged the 1st & 2nd jabs.

@WithCatLikeTread

I have been a volunteer at vaccine clinics since January.

I now have the delightful job of asking people for their cards/second dose dates as I’m the front of house.
I get told the cut off date at the start of the day.

If their second dose date is too recent, I have to turn people away.

It is not fun.

Most people take it well.

Lots don’t.

I turned one guy away twice. Luckily he took it well enough and came back the third time for his booster.

Their GPs have all invited them to come.

I never volunteered to be the Bad Guy.

Please check, 182 days from second dose.

Unless you are on chemo, or a transplant patient, then you have separate rules.

When I went, the cut off date was more than 182 days. I simply told them the NHS guidance was 182 days and if they were choosing to do 188 days or whatever it was, they should have advertised that fact. I didn't rearrange my day and walk for over 45 minutes in the freezing cold to be turned away, and I politely but firmly told them that.

I do not understand why they're being so awkward about dates. The PM was on TV literally begging people to get their boosters...why send people away who have made the effort to try to do the right thing? How many of them are going to think 'sod it' and not come back?

Same happened to me. Invited twice and then turned away twice as I didn't meet their criteria and they said the texts had been sent out in error? I was so cross as I was at the second appointment for over an hour before they turned me away. Eventually had it third time lucky. I'm not sure why the booster is so difficult to get, the first two were easy.

Thats so annoying, looks like theyve opened up the floodgates for everyone to get the booster now though so shouldnt be a problem

My health board in Wales is currently doing 60-69. I am in my early fifties and six months is up next week and we are being told not to contact anyone and just wait. Friends who had theirs two weeks before me haven’t heard about boosters yet. My mum lives with us and has been told she needs an extra. She has just had a third dose and she is mid eighties. Don’t know what is happening in Wales.

I think it’s ridiculous they didn’t jab you while they were there. Everyone keeps bleating on about how important it is that we all get boosted, you turned up, it’s been longer than six months since your last vaccine, just get it done.

Presumably the centre had enough doses as you had a pre booked appointment and there have been no stories in the media about a shortage that I’ve heard about.

The booster campaign seems to be in a bit of a mess.

Went for our Flu jabs a couple of weeks ago. Local surgery had signs up saying don't wast the staff's time by asking about Covid Boosters as they would not be involved in them. They have form - they didn't do the original injections either 🤷
We booked online for boosters at the local hospital.
Since then we have been texted twice by the local surgery telling us to click the link in the message to book out boosters. Have ignored them as we are getting done on Thursday. Letter each from the surgery yesterday saying they have been trying to contact us and can we confirm that the mobile numbers they have on record are correct.