Common Sense

Last week I received a phone call to tell me Yvonne would be having a home visit to get her covid jab. I asked if they would be doing my jab at the same time told if they had any spare they would do me. Today received a phone call to say Yvonne would be having a home visit on Thursday for her flu jab again asked were they giving me mine at the same time. Would have thought that they know Yvonne is bed/chair bound common sense would prevail that she cannot be left alone. Bit daft them coming out to do Yvonne but then expected me to go to two different places for a covid /flu jab.

I feel sure that if you put yourself on your surgeries radar as a carer you would get the vaccination at the same time as your wife.

It isn’t very common!

The Doctors know I am Yvonne's carer. She went to the podiatry ever 3 months without fail, I phoned them to cancel an appointment in October and asked for a home visit told the earliest home visit would be March next year. The doctor has requested a blood test for Yvonne in December booked one but probably will need a home visit for these bloods but they will expect Yvonne to go to the surgery even though she is house bound. Tried to phone Swiftqueue was 21st in the phone queue give up after 10mins with no advance in queue

Why not do swiftqueue on line?

A year ago a blood test at the Linacre Centre, you could get a next day appointment through Swiftqueue, and even a same day appointment, now it is week long wait for a blood test at the Linacre Centre, in other venues it is a lot longer than that.

LL did the booking online and filled the comment box in to say Yvonne probably would not be fit to go to the surgery. No feedback from swift queue must just be an automated system will try again by phone to sort something out or get hold of District nurse to arrange a home visit no common sense with a computer

It is just an automated service, Peter.
Not much help in your situation I suppose.
Can your GP not organise something?

LL Doctors just send out blood forms ironic thing is the doctors/blood dept are in the same building but you cannot book directly with either

The system now handled by Swiftqueue at the Thomas Linacre is far better, not only for the carrying out of the blood test, but also better for the parking.

No just turning up and getting a numbered ticket from a machine for what was a shambles!

TTS

If a GP stamps the blood test form as urgent you just turn up at the blood test centre. No need to make an appointment.

Gaffer

I see, I actually much prefer the appointment system for blood tests at the Linacre Centre, rather than the pre-pandemic turn up and wait system, because there was no way to know how many people were waiting for a blood test, before had you paid your parking fee, or walked down from Wigan, so at busy times, you would just wait your turn, rather than just say "sod it" and come back at another time,

I have waited behind 30 people at the Linacre Centre, so I find the Swiftqueue system much better.

PeterP

Can you use the 'Ask My GP' system at your surgery, as in you type a message to them online, and they have to get back to you with an answer the same day, by either an email or phone call, land just tell them your predicament and let them sort it out, as in you both need to be immunised at the same time.

Owd Codger

You still get a numbered ticket at the Linacre Centre, and I was there a couple of weeks ago, and I always park in Mesnes Park Terrace and walk around, which I did and the Linacre Centre car park was rammed, they were literally parking on bits of grass and the hatched off area's, but in Mesnes Park Terrace there were spaces, near the top, so it wasn't that much of a walk.

TTS our surgery has not used "Ask my gp" since the start of the year. We are having our flu jabs together after sorting it with the surgery

I am pleased to hear that

The Practise Nurse is coming to our house about 10-00am to give both of us our flu jabs. I have cancelled online her appointment for December at the clinic and will ask the practise nurse if she can sort it or tell me who to contact. Yvonne is not the only person to be house bound so there must be some thing in place for blood samples to be taken at home It seems at times there is a breakdown in communications between departments The blood forms where posted out to us from the Doctors surgery and I would have though THEY would have made arrangements for the samples to been taken in December Its not has though Yvonne would not be at home.

PETERP,
I would like you to know Peter that you and Yvonne are in my prayers and thought's please be strong bud take care
G.B.

Peter.
Is your wife still capable of getting in the car for a ride out with you driving?
I sincerely hope so because you have mentioned previously that she used to like a day drive out as it was her pleasure.
Nothing worse than being housebound and having no social contact with the outside world. Even if its a day out to Southport, or a garden centre for look around.
I hope you get everything sorted soon. And more importantly I hope your wife can get back to a bit of normality and enjoy the simple things in life which most of us take for granted.

Cheshirecat And Golden Bear thanks for your thoughts. At this time Yvonne as to be got out of bed using an electric hoist and transferred to her chair using a wheelchair, then lifted into her chair again using the hoist. At night she is transferred back to her bed using the hoist and wheelchair. The O/TT's have been out twice and are not now due till next Weds, They have stood her up but cannot get her to move her legs. I meanwhile have to try to get her to stand 4-5 times a day not easy on myself. There is talk of putting a wheelchair ramp at the back of the bungalow then if there is no progress with walking then the car will probably have to be changed for a wheelchair access vehicle