Forum Topic

Just why are so very few over 85s getting vaccinated?

In Ealing it is dire.Not even a date for those over 85s and reports of very selective invites.GPs with just a handful of vaccines and it's now a third week.Yet other boroughs are now moving to the 70-79 group.Not a word on Ealing's website. Not a word on how an 85 yr old with must attend Hospital appointments is supposed to be vaccinated prior? As per the NHS and Gov website advice.Nothing from Ealing Council or NHS CCG.Theres a deserted football stadium at the border of Ealing. Sitting there ready. Still serviceable It can be used for parking residents cars for a film shoot next week so why not as a mass vaccination centre for Brentford and South Ealing , Boston Manor and Northfields?The silence and lack of any information being supplied to GPs and elderly over 80s is really poor.Why?

Raymond Havelock ● 2076d27 Comments

My husband, 82 next month, had a text early this week from our surgery, The Argyle Surgery. Cutting out all the bumph, it amount to “ don’t hold your breath”. Meanwhile my pals in Pinner & Ruislip had their first jab a week or so before Christmas & have been told their 2nd one any time now. Is there a plot for the mass extermination of the over 80s in Ealing?

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2076d

Given the attitude from some councillors one wonders if theres a truth in that.Certainly there is an ageist mentality on several fronts, not just in Ealing.On the other hand the Govt want seniors vaccinated as fast.Not happening here. Very poor so farEspecially when other London councils are now into the 70-80 group already as reported on BBC London

Raymond Havelock ● 2076d

Yesterday I had a phone call from a Doctor in my surgery telling me the vaccine will be available there in two weeks or so time. I am 88 so no doubt first in line. Hopefully

Beryl Bashford ● 2076d

Please try not be too negative about the NHS, as all the staff are working extremely hard and busy! They are doing their very best and its not helpful to have these negative comments. It is a "Pandemic" Afterall! Many of the NHS staff are affected by the Covid 19 one way or another too, as they are human Afterall! As I understand it each GP Clinic are initially given a small allocations of vaccination slots, so they have to use their professional judgement who these slots are given out to first. I would like one, but there is no way I will get one first, but my mother in her 80s and with few medical conditions has been given one just last Thursday in Ealing Town Hall. BTW her GP contacted me on a Sunday to ask if my mother would like to have one. So the NHS are working round the clock to do their best for their patients! Please remember their extremely hard work and effort and forget the negativisms!

Jim Wong ● 2076d

It's not being negative.There are those in the front line doing way beyond their expected duties, and behind them a great many doing the same.There are also a great many ready and waiting and still waiting to get to work.People are in place with nothing to do. I am trained up and registered for this from a previous career abroad.  Have set aside 3 - 4 days (or nights) a week. Still nothing yet. Am now going to another Borough not so local instead.The article by Mr Leach is quite right. But too many especially GPs are being kept in the dark.

Raymond Havelock ● 2075d

Well said

David Burke ● 2075d

My reply in agreement was to Mr. Wong

David Burke ● 2075d

Well done Raymond.  I've heard of several people who have tried to offer their help in vaccinating people because they too have experience.  There seems to be rather a lot of bureaucracy in the way.The NHS had a great number of vacancies before the pandemic (something which was not a surprise to a great many people and something for which the NHS and whatever incarnation Public Health England was/in also would have been aware of.  They had to do a Risk Assessment for one.)  We have had several pandemics over the years.  This one happens to be very contagious and vicious.It takes three years to train a nurse so with a health service with a deficit of over 400,000 nurses it is obvious that they will be hard-pressed.  Those in jobs in other parts of hospitals have had to do crash courses on oxygen therapy.  It is not only nurses that they are short of.  With a normal 12 hour shift that often lasts longer and is followed by travelling home it is hard work without a pandemic.  At the beginning of this the Govt decided to try to call back in retired medical staff to make up numbers.  There are consultants working as Health Care Assistants.  Medical staff have died but they have a better idea now of what they are dealing with.  There are plenty of volunteer jobs being advertised for the NHS as well as non-volunteer ones.There are youngsters in intensive care.  Don't listen to the doubters.  This is a very stressful time for most of us not able to see and support our families.  Please stay safe and keep your distance, wear a mask, don't go out any more than you absolutely need to and don't make it any worse for those who are working so hard to help us all and to beat this virus.Sad to hear tonight that a lot of staff working in the General Wards full of Covid sufferers are NOT being provided with the better and more effective face masks.  No wonder they become ill.  This is madness.  This is what happened before because you can't be sure which patients have Covid.  They may test negative one day and test positive the next..

Philippa Bond ● 2069d

Must also remember a number of EU doctors and nurses returned home because of brexit and low pound.

Nicholas Beard ● 2065d

Absolutely.  We've lost some very valuable workers.  The NHS will be recruiting abroad again - The Philippines is a favourite place.  The long hours and stress takes its toll on our NHS staff and from our trainees there is always a big drop out rate.

Philippa Bond ● 2065d

My husband 82 next month had his jab ( Pfizer) last Friday at Ealing Town Hall. Brilliantly organised there according to him. However I should have been included according to the Daily Tel. Over 80s booked should also include a spouse in their 70s ( I’m 76). This is Government policy. I spoke to the Argyle Surgery yesterday pointing this out. They were ignorant of what was policy. This explains the lack of numbers.However I’m on their list (ha!) for the next round. Whenever. Just hope it isn’t at the Southall Centre as I’ve never been to Southall & have no idea how to get there. According to my A-Z it’s not on the main road. ( I would be coming from Pitshanger Lane) and with underlying health issues hesitate upon a set of buses ( my husband gave up driving). Just hope for Ealing Town Hall otherwise zilch. There’s also the issue highlighted in the press that surgeries are texting rather than phoning.  We have emphasised our surgery to phone as our mobiles are there for the rare emergency use such as the pre covid days of using Tubes, etc. It’s reckoned that thousands of appointments have been missed this way with folks awaiting non existent phone calls.

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2062d

My experience of telling my surgery to ring my landline and not my mobile is that I might as well be talking to myself.

Susan Kelly ● 2062d

If you have a basic mobile phone ( which is very common in with over 70's) you will get a text message to call your GP. They will then call you back and take basic details for your suitability of the vaccine.They can then set your appointment up for you and text you or call you with date, time and location.For this you do not need a smartphone or be online.But if you only have a landline, you must call your GP and any other vital service and stress this to them so there is a clear note recorded to ensure you are either contacted by a person via landline or get a letter.Oddly many of the letters are being sent to over 80s inviting them to book online and at a location up to 45 mins away ( not including traffic deviations or volume)Completely housebound residents are being kept completely in the dark as are their regular District Nurses and Carers.If you know a housebound non ambulatory resident ( and a great many are hemmed in by these LTNs completely unknown. Check on them and make sure that their GP knows that cannot be transported.  A wrong assumption is being made with algorithm based data that a Housebound person can be transported.This has led to some being assumed to be refusing the vaccination by not being able to respond or having not stressed being unable to leave home.I noticed on BBC Breakfast how a spokesperson ducked and dived in avoiding questions about this very situation.It would be far better to either say he did not know or that the logistical issues are not resolved.  Transporting the Pfizer Vaccine is still a huge problem. A proper explanation would be far better, even if it's not particularly positive.

Raymond Havelock ● 2062d

Bettina, did your husband have to queue at the town hall? I ask because I have a booking there for next week and it would be helpful to know what to expect.Thanks in advance.

Susan Kelly ● 2061d

I've now taken 11 people to Ealing Town Hall, but only had to assist 2 inside.It was a pleasant surprise to see that it is really well organised inside and there was no more than a few having to queue outside. Biggest problem is people with lots of layers of clothing so it slows things down but these are elderly and frail people and cannot really be avoided. So being prepared as best as possible helps. Help though was on hand for this.The staff and volunteers were very well organised. All were really pleasant. All the recipients I took emerged quite happy.Getting there and outside is a different story.The road restrictions on Longfield Ave are insane and seriously hampers drop off and returns and ought to be suspended for this period of transporting those who have to be driven.The LTNs have added miles and a lot of time to each journey and are making it very tricky to get people to the locations on time. Several have been missed ( not by me - Yet) but it really stresses out those recipients.Maybe some of these Councillors and advocates of LTNs would like to do a few weeks of this and see what they have caused.  How they sleep at night is quite beyond me.  Pure spiteful division - that really affects people who don't even drive but depend on those who do.At least there were not wardens issuing tickets to carers and those transporting elderly residents. At least not when I went there. Others have not fared so well.

Raymond Havelock ● 2061d

Thanks, Raymond. Reassuring.

Susan Kelly ● 2061d

@Susan Kelly. No my husband didn’t have to queue. His time was 9.10 am if that’s any guide. No crowds. Social distancing supervised from start to finish. He came out at 9.30 which included a compulsory sit down of 15 minutes also socially distanced. He was very impressed which, coming from a Yorkshire man means something !

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2057d

Thanks, Bettina. I'm in at 9:30 tomorrow!

Susan Kelly ● 2057d

Does anyone on this forum know the current state of play? I’m pals with a retired to Yorkshire GP who tells me up there I’d be classified as a priority. TB,  mini strike, hypertension, age 76.. If I got it I wouldn’t stand a  chance, But complete silence from my surgery ( Argyle Surgery) and certainly no central letter although we only get post 2/3 times a week. I’m hearing from Ealing pals a bit younger than me, no underlying health issues, who’ve already had their jab. Any info would be very welcome.

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2056d

In your situation, Bettina, I'd be inclined to ignore the instruction not to contact your GP and contact your GP.

Susan Kelly ● 2056d

@Susan Kelly. Received my slot today, Sat at ETH. Thank goodness it wasn’t Southall.

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2055d

I’m glad you got the slot you wanted, but please do not put people off going to the Dominion Centre in Southall. I had my jab there on Monday, and it was extremely well organised and efficient with social distancing carefully maintained. Fully wheelchair accessible.  I was in and out of the centre in 15 minutes. There’s a car park just behind, which takes coins and the app Pay by Phone.

Carole Bonifas ● 2055d

Glad you got the slot you wanted, Bettina, but I was offered a choice between Ealing and Southall and a choice of days/times so I'm a bit puzzled as to why you weren't.Anyway, everything went very smoothly at the town hall when I was done yesterday. Arm a bit sore for 24 hours.

Susan Kelly ● 2055d

Bettina may have been but she had previously posted that she had never been there and I think travelling there was out of her comfort zone.  We do get into our routines of places that we have regularly been to and know how to get to and while life is so stressful somewhere closer that you know is likely to appeal more than an adventure.  I know for us walking distance is more appealing. Bettina can contradict me if that is not the case!

Philippa Bond ● 2052d

Seems a mass vaccination centre has now opened: https://westlondon.nhs.uk/news-events/covid-19-mass-vaccination-centre-opens-in-ealing/

Harry Simmons ● 2048d

I’m not complaining (now). Last Thursday I received 3 offers all in one morning.!  First my surgery phoned up with a slot booked up for Saturday at ETH. I was only to pleased to accept that ( and no, it isn’t a choice). Then I got the NHS letter, took almost 2 weeks to get to me. Then I got a phone call from Temple Pharmacy, 2 minutes walk from me offering me a slot also Saturday. I had asked them, quite off the record , having heard nothing, if they could unofficially slot me in if they had a cancellation or doses over. However that doesn’t detract from the fact that 2 people round here in their 90s were allotted to Southall. No idea how to get there or where this Dominion Centre was. They ended up paying for a mini cab. Sorry but I don’t think that’s on.

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2048d

It’s the CP centre. On the south side of Uxbridge Road facing St Leonard’s Road very roughly. Near the Police Station.

Bettina Margaret Thwaite ● 2048d