Bill Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 I finally managed to get my booster and flu jab yesterday but not before I’d gone through a right saga of trying to do stuff online. The standard NHS website was an utter waste of time with so much of the stuff outdated and suggesting the nearest place I could get a walk-in service was in Widnes. ☹ Fortunately, my wife received her invite the same morning, so I used the web address they provided and that had to be correct. It gave the option to enter my NHS number or to enter my personal details. Not knowing my NHS number, I entered my date of birth, my surname and first name, and my address and postcode exactly as requested but unfortunately there was nobody at that address with that name. ☹ No problem, there was an option to find my NHS number in a similar way by entering my personal details but again I get the no records available for that person. Maybe I don’t know my birthday or where I live? The bottom line is that it just didn’t work. ☹ In the end we stumbled on a walk-in place in the Birchwood shopping centre. No queuing and no hanging about after the jabs so we were both done in less that 5 minutes. 😊 Bill 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confused52 Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 Utterly disgraceful. Your NHS number will be on the last prescription you got but only if you have repeat prescriptions. Your GP is responsible for putting that data in and for getting it right. I recently had to call NHS 111. I got a call back from a doctor - who clearly understood the nature of my injury but said I needed an X-ray. I went to Halton Urgent Treatment Centre where they did triage within 15 mins. I then waited behind later arrivals because I was clearly non-Urgent, for 3 and a half hours (faster than A&E!). Then groundhog day again -start from scratch for the third time; finally got an X-ray, verbally told what to do and sent off. On the web I found a video from a different specialist unit in the NHS with a link to the leaflet they give out in their UTC. Good job I looked for it or it would never have healed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 I’ve worked out why it didn’t work. When entering my details, I used the auto complete function as I always do but for some reason it missed the second “i” out of William. Fair enough my mistake for not spotting that, but it doesn’t say much for the software when everything is correct, and a single wrong letter rejects the entire process with no indication of where the mistake might be. There are millions of people using these forms and my only consolation is knowing for sure I won’t have been the only one caught out by this. Bill 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confused52 Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 The algorithms for matching are freely available and it is just poor design. We all get caught out by auto completion from time to time. It also doesn't do any favours for the clinically vulnerable because it tries to convince them it will not co-operate. To be fair I have never had a text from my GP as I have always used the national booking site. You may have noticed that whilst it uses your postcode to find your NHS number it asks for a second postcode to do the appointments search and that lets you shop around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted October 12, 2022 Report Share Posted October 12, 2022 got my flu jab appointment sorted. 8.30 saturday morning at the great sankey medical centre. mrs sid is booked in for hers next wednesday at the jubilee hub. just got to sort out the covid boosters for us both i have the invite for mine but not yet had the one for mrs sid. trying to get them done at the same time to save running about all over the town. have also got out sort out mrs sids pneumonia jab. called her doctors four times yesterday only to get the message that the system was busy and try again later. each of these reminders have been sent by text message to my phone as i have to deal with all her medical stuff as well as my own i have about half a dozen texts for various things.Most of them being of the "NHS no reply" type my phone tends to lump them all together meaning that i have to carefully read them to figure out who they refer to. some have my doctors address and some have her doctors address and a few have neither.....🤦♀️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted October 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2022 Received a reminder letter from my GP, after about 20mins in a queue on the phone, booked my covid and flu jab. Arrived on due dates, to find the waiting room jam packed with grumpies, so I insisted on being given a mask and keeping a distance from the throng. So all in all, a 9 out of 10 for my GP. 😷 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted October 12, 2022 Report Share Posted October 12, 2022 Feel like a right lemon. Been phoning the wifes doctors only to discover that the number stored in the phone was for the old surgery which has been closed down for eighteen months.🤦♀️...🤣 All sorted now just the covid boosters to get sorted, been advised to call 119 to find out when they are due at jubilee hub so i can get us both done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted October 12, 2022 Report Share Posted October 12, 2022 The walk-in place at Birchwood had no queues and we didn’t need any appointments or paperwork. We were in and out in less time than it takes to listen to the pre-recorded waffle you get on the phone. Bill 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted October 13, 2022 Report Share Posted October 13, 2022 i am taking it slowly this time round. last time i felt like a voodoo doll by the time they had finished with the various injections. no doubt they will be after me for a shingles shot before too long. funny thing went online to find the walk in places around warringtton, not one listed on the site, widnes about the nearest followed by liverpool and glasgow.....🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted April 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2023 Just rang my GP Surgery, to book a telephone appointment. The receptionist told me to ring at 8am, to which I replied, I'll be in a huge queue, so why can't I book now for a phone consultation ? Sorry, but that's the system was the reply - crazy I said, as I slammed the phone down. Whilst a little knowledge can be dangerous, I've consulted some of the Youtube pods and think I know what's required, so my next move will be to talk to the Pharmacist. Seems the NHS is no longer fit for purpose. 😠 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted April 13, 2023 Report Share Posted April 13, 2023 I've never really had any problems getting to see a doctor or issues at the hospital (apart from parking) and I'm usually full of praise for the system. But the way things are going just now makes me wonder if things are about to change. I had an appointment at Whiston Hospital for next Wednesday to get my dodgy arm checked out, but a letter arrived on Monday telling me it’s been cancelled. No alternate date or reason given but probably due to the junior doctors going on strike. ☹ Maybe we should give them the 35% they’re asking for on the condition that if they become good enough to make it to a full doctor earning loads of dosh, that they pay it back a bit like a student loan. 😄 Bill 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted April 13, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2023 Well given that we pay for their education, which can eventually lead to a well paid senior position, with execellant pension arrangements, I think we should expect them to stay at work, and indeed, sign up for 30 years with the NHS, rather than migrating to Australia or USA. I tried ringing again for a GPs appointmtment, I was 12th in the queue ay 9am - pathetic. 😠 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.