NHS email about Immunosuppressed and new drug

[CatAlice]

Sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody.
I've just had an email from the NHS telling me I would be eligable for one of the new drugs. I believ it has to be taken within 5 days of infection.
Apparently they are sending me a PCR test to have at home ready.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59721240

That's interesting about the priority test @msbevvy thank you!

Has anyone used this service successfully? My immunosuppressed husband tested positive on Wednesday and it took till yesterday evening to speak to the service prescribing the antivirals. They said the drugs would be couriered today but having just spoken to the pharmacy responsible for this, they have no details of his prescription. There appears to be no way to contact the prescribers (CMDU?) to follow up.

Yes @givemeanother

My mum who has MS tested positive on LFT on Christmas Day and flu like symptoms kicked in quickly. Did the PCR and took it to an NHS priority postbox where it was collected on Boxing Day. Positive PCR result confirmed next day. Outpatient appointment for the infusion a couple of days later.
By 30 Dec she said she was feeling better. Today she's neg on LFT and out gardening!

@KineticSand that's amazing. I'm so pleased for your mum! Much slower experience here, and should be oral pills rather than infusion but we're on day 4 since positive test and they've still not arrived.

That's frustrating. Did someone phone your husband and discuss and say they would be sending pills?

I got positive LFT yesterday, sent my priority PCR today and expecting to be sent for infusion like my mum (I have a condition on the list too)

I still haven't received an email or anything but should have done. GP says I should just call them if I get a positive PCR but I haven't got the priority pcr. My kids dad waited 12 days for a postal pcr.... so I think I will be left without help as usual as my medical records have wrong flag.

I had an email this morning saying some one will ring with in 24 hours. Nothing yet.

My son has had 2 NHS letters within the last week, the second one arrived with the PCR. I’m hoping he can avoid catching covid until he’s had his booster in February, worrying times still for some of us.

@KineticSand is your mum on immunosuppressant medication for her MS? Glad to hear she's doing so well.

@givemeanother

Has anyone used this service successfully? My immunosuppressed husband tested positive on Wednesday and it took till yesterday evening to speak to the service prescribing the antivirals. They said the drugs would be couriered today but having just spoken to the pharmacy responsible for this, they have no details of his prescription. There appears to be no way to contact the prescribers (CMDU?) to follow up.

I believe the CMDUs are overseen by acute Trusts. The pharmacy should be able to chase the prescription for you. Hope you get it sorted soon.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate No she isn't, and neither am I. We are both in Group 6 though.

Thanks @KineticSand. I'm just trying to reassure myself as I am on immunosuppressant treatment for MS :)

My gp also says I should have had an email and to phone 119 if I've not had a priority testing kit arrive by the 10th.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate I am sure you would be offered the infusion then, and also from our experience it's very effective. Reassuring : )

I'm on the list and my PCR test is here if I need it :) @KineticSand

That's good!
Having had to do it once near my mum's house and once near my own house, it's hard to locate the correct postboxes for the NHS priority PCR postage! Lots of info online is not updated to include this new service.

Here's the link that I finally got the up to date and correct info from:

www.royalmail.com/services-near-you#/

Thank you :) We've done a couple of regular postal PCRs for the dc when they've been close contacts but I've not seen the collection info before.

@OhYouBadBadKitten

My gp also says I should have had an email and to phone 119 if I've not had a priority testing kit arrive by the 10th.

Thanks for that - no test arrived here yet either, so it was handy tomsee the date by which we should be pestering for one.

Fingers crossed not needed before that. Term starts on Wednesday

Oh I really hope my DS gets this!

I received the PCR test and letter just before Christmas. Just waiting to see if or when I get symptoms to use it and follow the plan.

Ahh that has explained why I have been randomly sent a PCR i was very confused to suddenly receive one the other day

I’ve had the pcr kit but no email or letter!! My GP and hospital are useless so no confidence that anything would happen if/ when I do test positive. So frustrating!!

Deck the key things are to make sure your NHS Number and postcode are correctly entered when you register the test and you should be contacted. If not then you can ring 111 or your GP.

@KineticSand yes he finally spoke to CMDU last night who prescribed the oral pills and said they'd be couriered today. They haven't arrived and we have since spoken to the pharmacy responsible who've confirmed he's not on their list and now need to wait till tomorrow to check with the prescribing team.

It's been very disorganised. we'd been trying to get him referred since the 28th when he tested positive on a lateral flow given I was confirmed positive myself on Pcr pre-Christmas. They wouldn't do an thing till his PCR result came in which took 2 days despite using the priority post...and then contacting him to do the prescription after the pharmacy had closed for the day has seemingly messed it up.

Frustratingly many call handlers at 111 have limited knowledge of this service. I'm sure it will improve, but seems to me they need more clinical discretion to prescribe ahead of Pcr results in some cases if these drugs are going to have the intended effect.

Hope you get your infusion quickly 🤞🤞🤞

@givemeanother So frustrating for you and your DH! Hope he gets his pills soon.

I don't know if this has anything to do with it but I noticed things seemed to get a lot more efficient after I signed up for the NHS app. Took ages and had to loads of security and ID rigmarole but since then I've had my early booster and this rapid PCR thing and stuff happening smoothly.