Letter: We Need Jabs By Appointment to Reduce the Chaos

Published on: 4 Oct, 2020
Updated on: 4 Oct, 2020

The queue at Wodeland Surgery, in Wodeland Avenue, looping around the car park.

From: Name and address supplied

In response to: Long Queue for a Flu Jab at a Guildford Surgery

I don’t know what time these photos were taken but they make it all look quite serene, which it wasn’t!

The queue was much longer than that when I arrived at about 10.45am and the whole area was a nightmare to travel through. The road was jammed full of cars parked on double yellow lines, there was an ambulance attending a callout, cars were stuck at the top end of the road and a traffic enforcement truck was being loaded up with illegally parked vehicles.

I was told by people in the queue that there was an estimated three-hour waiting time. I hope Guildowns Group Practice go back to offering appointments for the flu vaccine and stop causing chaos with these walk-in flu clinics.

Editor’s note: The photos were taken at 12.15pm.

Responses to Letter: We Need Jabs By Appointment to Reduce the Chaos

Martin Elliott Reply

October 4, 2020 at 9:44 pm

Timeslots rather than individual appointments is a NHS tradition, as in the outpatients clinics of old. This is now replaced by a large computer monitor so you can see the best estimate of getting through the door.

Time slots by surname seems to be a good system, if the estimate of times for check-in and numbers eligible are correct.

I know there is a Covd fear, but NHS been running vulnerable people programmes for annual flu jabs through GP surgeries for several years. So why the problems still?
Barry Williams Reply

October 5, 2020 at 10:49 am

I guess it depends on the practices adopted by your surgery and/or if you have a car.

My surgery set up timed appointments at a drive-through vaccination centre located at the Cathedral (I suspect this was also a good NHS practice exercise for future Covid vaccination).

The timed-slot drive-through was well organised and controlled and super-efficient; no need to get out of the car, just bare your upper arm and in and out within five minutes. If one surgery can do it why not all?
Barbara Ford Reply

October 5, 2020 at 12:58 pm

Many Guildford surgeries, such as mine (Dapdune) have been running efficient flu jab appointment systems – we had to wait only five minutes at a pharmacy with which special arrangements had been put in place.

It seems to be the case that Wodeland Surgery could learn from others and try a different arrangement next time. It’s an individual, localised problem, as reported.
Angela Medina Reply

October 5, 2020 at 3:31 pm

In addition, some pharmacies are providing walk-in flu jab services without appointment. For example, the Independent Pharmacy in Madrid Road, Guildford provided this service in less than 10 minutes this morning including completing a form. My surgery had offered me an appointment on November 26.
K White Reply

October 5, 2020 at 5:00 pm

Business as usual at my surgery. I phoned for an appointment and was allocated a very precise time (14.33). I arrived early, was greeted outside and was asked to go in after sanitizing and having a temperature check. Three people were waiting and adequately socially distanced. Had my jab within two minutes of check in and left by the back door (due to one way system). Absolutely no fuss or queue or need to drive elsewhere!