Price of jab shouldn’t matter

Brian Barnard’s letter serves an apologist for the serious shortcomings of Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group and the network of NHS suppliers we depend on locally.

He misses the point, Richard Styles and I are concerned with delivery of vaccinations, not take-up. There has been a gross disparity nationwide, east Kent being in the ten latest in the UK to start vaccinations.

A reply from KMCCG to my queries “recognised local frustration caused by the later start of the programme” offering excuses about the size and complexity of the commissioning process.

Are the majority of CCGs nationwide better organised than ours then? Or our GP surgeries a bit too organised?

Mr Barnard says the KMCCG is busy “trying to balance vaccinations between the most vunerable and those most at risk”. Not so. That would involve GP input supplying details to NHS England who issue the appointments.

This is being done on an age basis. Many cases have been in the media where obviously vulnerable patients have been ignored.

Each of us having our jab at a centre had to spend valuable time giving medical details, etc, not necessary in GP surgery vaccinations, which went through just like our ‘flu jabs.

Yes, Mr Barnard I have a motive in asking why we are so badly served by our NHS in this case.

Even the Prime Minister has recognised that the Covid emergency has found the “internal market” structure of NHS has led to a very uneven delivery of its services and intends to replace the reforms which set it up.

Yes Mr Barnard, Covid is a serious pandemic from which many have died needlessly whilst those responsible for healthcare haggle over the price for its delivery.

Alan Davis