Not allowed vaccine at GP surgery?

[Caughtupinsomething]

Is it true that some people get invited to their GP surgery for a covid vaccine and others don't? What is the criteria to differentiate? My friend has been told he isn't eligible to have it at the GP surgery as they haven't invited him, and would have to go to a health popup hut or similar, with NHS direct sending the invite. It seems alittle strange.

Maybe they have a limited amount of vaccine so are only inviting the most vulnerable?
Our surgery booked the over 75 age range first before opening bookings for the other priority groups but they aren’t able to do everyone due to the delivery of vaccine, the availability of staff/appointments and the fact they still need to see other patients. Is your friend definitely eligible and due for it? They can check if they can book here
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

The only people I know who have been invited have had mobility issues, does your friend have a problem getting to the vaccine hub?

I've had 3 so far and have my 4th booked.

3 and 4 are at a local medical centre
2 was at my GP
1 was at a different medical centre

I'm not sure what the issue is for your friend?
I'm working on the assumption the local Health professionals have planned the most efficient way to get all the vaccinations out to the highest number of people as quickly and efficiently as possible whilst still also trying to deliver normal GP services. I am happy to go to any building where they are doing the vaccinations.

We just book ours online at a pharmacy or GP hub centre. Is that a problem for hour friend?

Not all GP surgeries are offering the Covid vaccinations, it’s up to them to do them if they want to. My doctor are offering the Covid vaccinations to their patients when they have the flu vaccine, if someone wants it separately or has already had the flu jab elsewhere, they will not do the Covid one. It was all down to staffing resources and finances, it was cheaper and more efficient to invite patients in once on a number of Saturdays as does not affect the day to day running of the practice.

My sisters GP chose not to do the Covid vaccinations so she was invited by the NHS to go to one of the centres. She had to go to a pharmacy for her flu jab.

Mine is offering Covid jabs, but only on specific dates. If you didn't want to wait at least a full month after becoming eligible, which I didn't, the nearest vaccination centre was 15 miles away. I was able to book the flu jab separately, in fact I had to, because the vaccination centre I went to doesn't offer flu jabs.

I was originally invited by the NHS general texts, then about a month later my GP invited me.

Not all practices are vaccinating - they are commissioned to vaccinate as a PCN (primary Care Network) - groups of practices. Some have a single vaccine hub per PCN and some are doing it at multiple GP sites depending on room space.

I don't think our GP was doing covid - I had my flu jab at the GP, and they said that our area had just had a big delivery of covid vaccine, so i could expect to be called soon. They sent me a text within a week to say I could now book my covid jab, but that had to be at the town centre hub (or another hub, if more convenient.) They've also done flu jabs in a central hub before.

They seem fairly organised about mass vaccination round here, but it probably helps I am close to the town centre. They seem to coordinate with the GPs, even if the GPs aren't doing it.

I found it easier to get the vaccine than it was to get the flu jab. Go on the nhs website. There are loads of places doing them, both bookable and walk in. I don't live in a big metropolis.

Ours were doing over 65 only but they just had a drop in clinic this afternoon for the over 50’s and clinically vulnerable so I’ve had mine today, so much easier as I don’t drive and the nearest hub is 20 miles away. I was holding off hoping they would do it at the GP in time.

I work in a GP surgery. We are no longer doing Covid vaccines as we’re not commissioned to do them any longer.

We did the first three lots as a collective across our PCN (primary care network) which meant we worked together out of the largest surgery to offer Covid clinics.

Now our PCN is no longer able to do them so our patients have to travel to those sites that HAVE been commissioned, which might be pharmacies, hubs and regional centres.

Different areas work in different ways depending on how they’ve been commissioned to deliver the autumn booster programme.