A NONAGENARIAN from Gretna says she feels “forgotten about” after facing repeated difficulties arranging her flu jab.
Nancy Green, 95, began to grow concerned after not receiving a letter, or any other forms of communication, from her local surgery during September, the month she usually has the jab administered.
“By September I usually have my flu jab,” Nancy said, adding that last year she “phoned them down, made an appointment and just went.”
However, she said so far this year that “not a single thing has happened,” despite various younger friends and neighbours in the community having already been vaccinated.
“When I tried to arrange it they [Gretna Surgery] said that they had nothing to do with it, that they were doing it at the registration office and that it had nothing to do with them anymore,” Nancy explained.
Visiting for her birthday in September, her son also made various attempts to arrange an appointment and was told that his mother would be prioritised, however, Mrs Green added that “that’s as far as it went.”
After trying more than half a dozen times to organise getting the jab, Nancy said: “I have been forgotten about and I’ve not had any help from social services or from medical staff.”
In a post on social media on Wednesday, NHS Dumfries and Galloway asked those still awaiting notification of their flu jab appointment to “please be patient,” insisting “your letter will be with you shortly.”
A spokesperson for NHS Dumfries and Galloway said the vaccination programme is “progressing to schedule.”
“For adults, the priority is to deliver first to the over 65 year age group, many of whom will have multiple ‘at-risk’ medical conditions that accompany increasing age. This is at week four, and it is expected that all participating over 65s will receive their vaccinations within the next four weeks.”
Dr Nigel Calvert, a consultant in Public Health Medicine in the region added: “We have had a number of people getting in touch to say that they haven’t yet received their letter.
“We would like to offer an assurance that everyone who is eligible to receive a flu vaccination will receive a letter setting out details of their appointment. This letter will arrive in good time ahead of the appointment, and with an opportunity at that point for people to get in touch.”
