On Wednesday I had a letter from the NHS telling me I was eligible for a Covid vaccine (I am 78). One option was to book on line, so I decided to do it that way. They asked me for my NHS Number (which was on the letter) and one or two other questions, then offered me a choice of where I could have my vaccination done. Ashton Gate, a football ground in Bristol, about 25 miles away; Taunton Racecourse, about 30 miles away; or Westward Ho, about 86 miles away; and a local venue about 3.5 miles away. Obviously I chose my local venue, and a slot was booked for me at 4:25pm Saturday (today). It was quite clear, telling me the date and the time, and informed me I was booked in. I clicked Continue. I then had to book my second jab. I was informed there wasn't a slot available at my local venue, and I should click for an alternative. They only had those other three again, and not wanting to travel 25 miles and more for a second jab I opted not to do one of those but wait until I had had my first jab and then arrange my second.
So I rolled up at the car park locally, today, in plenty of time for my jab. They were very efficient, showing cars to vacated spaces in the car park, and asked me for my Reference Number. Reference Number? They had said nothing about that on line, and they hadn't given me one. The lady controlling the car park checked with the venue and there was no record of me having made a booking for a jab, so I had to come back home without getting one.
There was a number to ring on that original form (119) so I rang that and when they answered I told them what had happened. She explained that if I had booked BOTH jabs on line I would then have been given a Reference Number. And would have been given my first jab. And then, she said, I could have changed the venue and the date of my second jab and had it done closer to home. How was I meant to know that? And she said hundreds of people had had this happen to them too.
Who is it that creates these on line FORMS for you to fill in? Nowhere did it say I needed a Reference Number to get my jab, or that I had to book my second appointment at the same time in order to get a Reference Number. I could have designed a better form myself! If they don't give you the information, how are you supposed to know what they are wanting from you?
So the lady on 119 has booked me in at this same local venue for this coming Thursday; and at the same venue for my second jab on April 16th. So why wasn't that one available when I tried doing it on line? And she has given me a Reference Number for both.
So when you get called for a jab, make sure you get a Reference Number!
Hugh