CAMPAIGN SUCCESS AS OUR ELDERLY GIVEN JABS
Pressure on health board beginning to pay off
DOZENS of wor r ied pensioners have received their flu jab appointments after the Glasgow Times launched a campaign to tackle the crisis.
Elderly people across the city shared their stories with us amid fears they would face a lengthy delay for the vital vaccination.
However, following NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s ( NHSGGC) apology yesterday, a number of patients have now received letters detailing their appointment times.
The health board insists it will “learn the lessons” of this year’s failed rollout and will speed up the process to ensure all those over the age of 65, as well as people in the vulnerable category, will be inoculated by the end of next month ahead of flu season beginning in December.
The Glasgow Times has been contacted by a number of pensioners who have now received letters following the inception of the Give Our OAPs A Shot campaign.
Sean Clerkin, the campaign co- ordinator for the Scottish Tenants Organisation, said: “The Scottish Tenants Organisation would like to congratulate the Glasgow Times on its highly successful campaign to get all of our senior citizens inoculated with the
flu vaccine before the onset of the flu season in December.
“It is clear that NHS Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire, after complaints from the public to the Glasgow Times, are going to rectify their hitherto ageist treatment of the very elderly in relation to flu inoculation.
“In future our most elderly and vulnerable citizens have to be at the forefront in the provision of the flu vaccination programme in Scotland with the flu vaccine being done at local hubs so that people do not have to travel too far.”
Meanwhile, Irene Rafferty revealed her mother 94- year- old mother Margaret Neilson would finally be receiving her vaccine after weeks of battling with NHSGGC.
She said: “Thank you for running the campaign about flu jabs for OAPs.
“My mum received a call on Monday to say they were coming
to give her her flu jab yesterday at her sheltered housing complex.”
Ann Booth, who was forced to travel on six buses to reach her vaccination hub, has now also received an appointment for late November and, thankfully, has been allowed to relocate her jab from Bridgeton to Springburn – which greatly reduces her travelling time.
She said: “I’m glad it’s being handled because it’s ridiculous.
“They asked us to shield and protect the NHS, and most of us did it, so that was no way to repay us.
“The people who go get the jab every year were left behind so it should definitely be sorted.”
It comes as a Glasgow Times petition calling on the health board to put an end to the chaos nears 700 signatures.
Anyone who does need to change their appointment, should contact the board on 0800 707 6699 or via email at adult. flu@ ggc. scot. nhs. uk