Computer says no ...

[Phil Pascoe]

I had a notification from my surgery that over seventies are elegible for a shingles ***, so as I was there I went to book one. Sorry, you can't book one, I was told. Why? Because you're not seventy. But today is the 1/12 - my birthday is 5/12 - I'll be 70 by the time I have the ***. Yes, but we're not allowed to book it as you're seventy. Why do we tolerate idiocy like this?

 

[GeoffW]

Unhelpful, disinterested jobsworth says no.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Actually the receptionist was very helpful and apologetic. I felt rather sorry for her.

 

[GeoffW]

Fair enough.

 

[worn thumbs]

An interesting policy and the experience of contact of mine is a bit mystifying.He became aware of the increasing adoption of the vaccination policy and asked when he could book his.He was told that it isn't possible until he reaches 70 and yet he is a bit over 65.There is a cadre of patients who are too old for notification,while simultaneously being too young for the letter at 70.Kafka has been reincarnated and employed by the NHS,or something.

 

[Yojevol]

My wife got an invite for the latest COVID and flu jabs for the over 75's although she hadn't reached that milestone, whereas I had but had to book them under my own initiative.
Go figure
Brian

 

[SammyQ]

I totally agree Phil. I had chicken pox at 40 (my three children brought it home). That -apparently, because the virus lingers on your skin afterwards - puts me in a noted "high risk bracket" according to my local surgery. But....I've been denied it until 70, in three years time. Paradoxically, the same G.P. practice re-texted a DotGov exhortation for "at risk 65-year-olds" to get jabbed, pronto...turns out some N.H.S. Honcho had specified you have to been 65 in the time since they initiated the scheme, not just 'over 65'. Anybody 66-69 just has to "Wait until their year cohort turns 70"(!!!). That tw6t might indeed have been surname: Kafka?

 

[Sideways]

I strongly support the need and use of the nhs, but had one experience of private medicine when I needed major surgery while working abroad. My daughter likewise needed surgery that the nhs proved incapable of delivering despite years of waiting. She finally resorted to travelling abroad for surgery. In both our cases the service provided was exemplary with the benefit of being scheduled within days.
Not making excuses for them but we all know that the NHS is very short of resource, including the skills and intelligence of some personnel (just like any other big organisation) .
If you want something, can't get it, and can afford it. Just go private. It may be cheaper than you expect and your health is more important than your principles.

 

[Spectric]

over seventies are elegible

There should be some give and take, ok if you are not quiete 70 then maybe you cannot just book it but if already there for something else then it would be more efficient for the surgery. This is one of the issues with the NHS, lacking efficiency, to many pen pushers and people with daft or pointless jobs who are just like throwing a handful of gravel into a gearbox.

 

[John Brown]

Well I am 70, and got a message involving me to book a shingles vaccination. When I went online to book, all the available slots were taken.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I've always suspected that the purposeful flaw in all bureaucratic systems is that the individual (worker) at any stage has no power to change anything, literally because they have no option to do so, and therefore can take no responsibility, in fact the only thing that an individual can do is to kick the user out of the system if they show even a modicum of frustration at the inadequacy of the system.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Not making excuses for them but we all know that the NHS is very short of resources ...

It isn't, it's very badly managed.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's governed by bean counters. One of the most annoying things I've found in the past is that if I wished to see a particular doctor about something important but non urgent I couldn't book ahead - I was quite happy to wait three or four weeks, but as that would foul the waiting list statistics I couldn't.

Incidentally, I've just changed surgeries after 69 years nine months of being with the old one. The difference is phenomenal - the problems aren't all due to outside influences.

 

[Richard_C]

I don't see the problem. You have to have a rule-based system. Suppose they let you book 30 days before your birthday, someone would be along to grumble that they were 31 days early and "they" wouldn't let you book it. If there is a wait because there is lots of demand then you ration supply by having a rule. If you bend the rule you get criticised by those who you don't bend it for. It's free, a new-ish initiative, you might have to wait a week or few, chances of contracting shingles in those few weeks are minimal. Just say "thanks".

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There'a four day gap, not months - it's not a problem, it's just stupid and irritating.

 

[Geoff_S]

There'a four day gap, not months - it's not a problem, it's just stupid and irritating.

You do realise that stressing can bring on shingles?

 

[SammyQ]

Sideways, I must concur with Phil, having heard my son, now working 'at the sharp end' in emergency medicine, tell me about the pressures and practices of the N.H.S. The organisation is on its knees, but - for example - a hospital (I won't name it) thinks it is good practice to pay a P.R. salary of £70k?? P.R.?? Hello?!!!?? Who in pluperfect hell 'managed' that decision? What cerebrally deficient, oxygen-stealing, jumped up turdweevil thinks that is "more value" than say, two nurses?

 

[Blackswanwood]

Sideways, I must concur with Phil, having heard my son, now working 'at the sharp end' in emergency medicine, tell me about the pressures and practices of the N.H.S. The organisation is on its knees, but - for example - a hospital (I won't name it) thinks it is good practice to pay a P.R. salary of £70k?? P.R.?? Hello?!!!?? Who in pluperfect hell 'managed' that decision? What cerebrally deficient, oxygen-stealing, jumped up turdweevil thinks that is "more value" than say, two nurses?

Without knowing what the job description required I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that having the role is poor value for money. PR is a generic label that can cover quite a range of actual tasks. An admittedly extreme (and heart-wrenching) example of where a hospital needs someone who can deal with the press is where parents end up taking doctors to court as they don’t agree with the decision to withdraw medical support for a child. I’d hazard a guess that NHS trusts have a constant flow of press and other enquiries to deal with.

 

[RogerS]

There'a four day gap, not months - it's not a problem, it's just stupid and irritating.

So would a five day gap be OK ? Ten days adrift? Where do you draw the line ?

 

[Jester129]

@Spectric - I said the very same 4 years ago on this forum!