Inoculation ‘teething problems’ as health boards take responsibility

So-called “teething problems” as health boards oversee the administration of flu jabs when they are all the more vital due to coronavirus have not been limited to the north-east.

Right across the north issues have been flagged in the rush to inoculate huge sections of the population.

NHS Grampian’s latest apology, as hundreds complain of late letters meaning missed appointments, is the latest as health boards tangle with overseeing the vaccination programme alongside their response to the pandemic.

At the start of the month, NHS Highland was urged to improve after around 200 people were left to queue for their injection in the rain.

Distancing rules and a combination of people arriving too early or too late left lines of over- 65year- olds snaking out of Invergordon Hospital.

Fears were raised that some may opt not to get the vital vaccination having seen the bottleneck of vulnerable and elderly patients exposed to the elements.

NHS Western Isles too was forced to apologise, after appointment letters were sent to the wrong people.

A number of individuals ineligible for the jab received letters in error.

More people than ever before are now eligible for the vaccine, af ter the Scottish Government lowered the minimum age to 55, on top of children aged two to 12, the pregnant, health and social care workers, unpaid carers, those with underlying respirator y ailments and anyone who was shielding.

Last month, NHS Grampian’s immunisation co- ordinator Dr Simon Hilton urged the public to take up the offer of flu jabs to prevent hospital staff waging simultaneous war on two “nasty viruses”.