DEAL Flu jab plans are a ‘shambles’
BY WEST SCOTLAND MSP NEIL BIBBY
Every year, but perhaps this year more than ever, it is essential for those who need it to have access to the flu jab.
We all need to do what we can to maximise uptake of the flu vaccine and we should be making it easier for people to do this.
Health chiefs, however, are doing the opposite.
A decision has been made requiring over-65s to travel from all over Paisley and Renfrewshire to St Mirren’s football stadium for this year’s flu jab.
If you’ve got a car, this journey might not be a problem, but if you are reliant on public transport, the journey might be at best inconvenient or at worst impossible.
This reckless decision appears to have been made by health bosses who own and drive big expensive cars that don’t have the faintest idea how difficult it can be to get places on public transport.
This would be an impractical proposal at any time, but it is particularly foolish for the times we live in.
When Nicola Sturgeon is imposing deeper restrictions and telling people to avoid public transport and car sharing, we’re seeing decisions being made that would see some needing to take six buses there and back to get the flu jab. What a shambles.
Yet no one seems to be really defending this decision or taking responsibility.
I’ve written to the chief executive of the NHS Board.
I’ve raised it with Nicola Sturgeon in the Scottish Parliament. But to date no solution.
And while it seems some of us are keen to fix this, it was revealed in the Express that SNP Councillors on the Health & Social Care Partnership actually refused to back alternative proposals.
Since raising this issue, I have been inundated with the concerns and worries of constituents – some telling me they don’t know how they’ll make this journey, others saying they simply won’t. This is worrying.
And then there are others who, even if they were willing to go, won’t be able to.
There’s been a revelation that some are receiving their appointment letters after the date of their appointment. To which one pensioner put it “it’s not a bus
I need, it’s a time machine.”
This is a situation that is spiralling out of control that needs to be sorted and needs to be sorted now.
And there is one very obvious first step. More vaccination centres.
Renfrewshire has a higher population than Inverclyde and East Renfrewshire but has just one centre whereas they have four each.
There is no reason why this shouldn’t be the case here.
Why are Renfrewshire pensioners being disadvantaged compared to their counterparts in neighbouring areas?
Why are the oldest and most vulnerable being asked to travel the furthest? This is beyond belief.
I know many of you will be feeling anxious about this and I completely understand.
I will continue to apply all the pressure I can on the relevant authorities.
In the meantime, if you are over 65 and have any queries regarding your appointment please call 0141 201 4180 or email: adult.flu@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Please also get in touch with me if you need to on 0141 889 0457 or at neil. bibby.msp@parliament.scot