Posties worry Fifers missing Covid-19 jabs

It is feared hundreds of Fifers may be missing out on their Covid-19 vaccine as posties warn appointment letters are being sent to old addresses.

Almost half of the region’s eligible population have received at least one dose but there are now concerns many of those who should have had a jab have slipped through the net.

A number of Royal Mail employees are understood to have highlighted a concern that a significant number of vaccine letters have been sent to former addresses.

NHS Fife said it is aware of the issue and has systems in place to ensure appointments are correctly addressed, although the exact number of people affected is unknown.

One postwoman, who did not wish to be named, firmly believes the scale of the problem could be much bigger than first thought.

“I am a postie in a Fife delivery office and I have delivered at least eight letters to addresses that I know the people there have gone away,” she said.

“If this equates to every round in the office, that’s a lot of people not getting notice of their appointments.

“This is either because they have not informed their doctor of their change of address or the NHS has not updated their records.

“Whatever the problem is, that will be a lot of appointments over the whole of Fife.”

More than 150,000 first dose vaccinations have now been carried out in Fife and Scott Garden, NHS Fife director of pharmacy and medicines, said its clinics continue to be particularly well-attended.

“The overwhelming majority of people in Fife aged 60 and over, along with those considered clinically vulnerable, have now received their first vaccination, with letters beginning to go out this week to those aged 50 to 59 years of age,” he said.

“Appointment letters for Covid-19 vaccination in Fife, like many other health boards in Scotland, are issued using the National Scheduling Tool and we are aware of a small number of people within these eligible groups who are yet to receive their letter.

“A system has been put in place nationally to ensure that people across Scotland within these groups who have not received an appointment are not missed.”

Anyone in the eligible vaccine categories who has not received a letter, or has lost theirs, can arrange a new appointment at invitations.vacs.nhs.scot or by calling the national Covid-19 helpline on 0800 030 8013.

APPOINTMENTS: Royal Mail staff are concerned vaccine letters have been sent to old addresses and hundreds of people may be missing out. Picture by Steve Brown.