Another Covid letter blunder
Health bosses in Argyll have been forced to apologise once again after another batch of centrally-issued Covid jab appointment letters arrived containing the wrong information.
The latest blunder follows a series of mistakes made from October 2021 as the vaccination programme picked up pace.
Other than on certain islands, NHS Highland took over the job of administering vaccinations after GP practices had successfully delivered the early jabs with efficiency driven by local knowledge.
Almost immediately - and in contrast to the skill and hard work of clinical staff delivering the jabs - the centralised administration system sparked confusion and frustration as errors appeared in appointment letters sent to patients, many of whom were elderly.
There was confusion over which age groups were being targeted in certain vaccination sessions.
In one example, people over 75 years of age were turned away from a clinic in Lochgilphead after queuing patiently outside for their jab.
Human error was blamed for sending out letters in October inviting 16- and 17-year-olds for a second dose – only for them to be turned away at Lochgilphead and in Oban.
And, in November, people in Lochgilphead were invited by letter to attend a Covid vaccination clinic at a non-existent Lochgilphead hall and road in a Cairndow postcode.
In December Fiona Davies, then interim and now permanent chief executive of Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), apologised, adding: ‘Lessons have been learnt as we have been progressing and changes to appointment booking have been made.’
But on Tuesday March 29, as the vaccination programme moves to fourth jabs, more errors appeared in letters issued by Scotland’s centralised appointment service.
In Tayvallich, letters invited people in the area aged 75 years or older to attend a clinic on Sunday May 6 at Kames Hall, Tighnabruaich – around 80 miles by road. And there are reports of other similar errors in the region.
In response, Argyll and Bute HSCP sent a ‘briefing note’ on Tuesday afternoon to GPs, councillors and members of the board overseeing health and care services in the region, the Integration Joint Board, saying: ‘NHS Highland is working closely with our National Delivery Team to contact Argyll and Bute residents affected, and an incident management team is actively carrying out a full investigation on the scheduling system fault. We are asking everyone concerned to please disregard this appointment, as they will be contacted shortly to receive a further appointment to attend a suitable location.
‘We would like to apologise to those residents affected for any inconvenience and concern that this may have caused.’
Argyll and Bute vaccination clinics and dates can be found on the NHS Highland website.