Despite a lot of social media comment on the matter both yesterday and today, the Health Secretary denied on Friday that there was any difficulty with people in the 60 to 64 age group either in receiving notification of or having appointments for vaccinations in the NHS Lothian area.
Jeane Freeman MSP said: “We will continue to look and make sure that the vaccine management tool, and the booking system are working well together. We are constantly discussing with Royal Mail to make sure that the delivery schedules at their end are working week and they have been really helpful partners in prioritising those blue envelopes.”
The Health Secretary asked people to be patient and not to phone the helpline right now. She advises that 46% of these in the 60 to 64 year-old age bracket have now been vaccinated with a first dose. In January she announced that from the second tranche of letters the envelopes wold be blue to make them distinctive. Ms Freeman also advised then: “The letters will contain information about the time and place of your appointment and details on how to reschedule it if you are unable to attend.
“I would urge everyone to take up their appointment when they are offered one.”
Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “Deeply worrying, getting emails from concerned constituents.”
Former Lord Provost Lesley Hinds tweeted her advice earlier, and then happily received her blue envelope on Friday morning:
The helpline has a recorded message saying that these reports are inaccurate and that all those who have appointments after 20 March will receive a letter in the next few days. But helpfully if you would like to check whether you have an appointment then you can either telephone or enquire online. The helpline is 0800 030 8013 and the website is here.
There are several vaccination centres in Edinburgh and at present there are no available appointments in Lothian to allow you to change to a sooner date if yours is 27 March or after then.
Today 1,844,636 people have been vaccinated with their first dose and 149,409 have received their second dose.
There are vaccination centres at:
- Edinburgh International Conference Centre
- Strathbrock Health Centre Broxburn
- Royal Highland Centre
- Queen Margaret University
- Pyramids Business Park in West Lothian
- former Royal Bank of Scotland building Edinburgh Park
- East Lothian Community Hospital
- Midlothian Community Hospital
- Sighthill Health Centre
- Gracemount Medical Centre
- Craigmillar Medical Centre
- Leith Community Treatment Centre
- Pennywell Allcare Centre
- Howden Health Centre
- Strathbrock Partnership Centre
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I am not surprised and believe officials live in denial. There are problems with the booking system in West Lothian. I am a nurse and should have had a first appointment (group 2) long ago but I am unable to get in touch with a human being to see where the blockage is and try and solve it. It’s impossible! There is no way of engaging with the system effectively from system user end point. The whole communication system is so designed that the callers call from a booking system using an undisclosed number. I would ask Ms Freeman ‘how would you like it if the nurse just taking a blood sample from you stops a few times during that, just to answer her phone all be it scam call or genuine? This is not working, I’ve tried sending emails to massvaccination for staff address, missing invitation address, all lead nowhere but more phone calls when I’m in work and can’t answer my phone. Total shambles!
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