The report concentrates on Bristol but near the end reports the emails were sent out nationally.
£5000 per dose.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-55593210
That's absolutely shocking that is.
I wouldn't mind betting that because they were describing it as a 'donation' to the staff member it'd be written off against tax too.
Utter scumbags
Similar to private healthcare tho
It comes from the culture “we have money, we can push to the front for anything”
Welcome to modern Britain
I was more concerned about the news stories about SAGE advisors saying the current lockdown measures aren’t enough to curb the spread and reports of GPs not getting supplies of vaccines.
But oh look - squirrel.
RM.
"or the staff member directly".
so suggesting theft.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/27/notes/division/6/2
Intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence
rogermoore
Full Member
I was more concerned about the news stories about SAGE advisors saying the current lockdown measures aren’t enough to curb the spread and reports of GPs not getting supplies of vaccines.
But oh look – squirrel.
RM.
In the big picture you definitely aren't wrong there, it's why I didn't want to dilute the main coronavirus thread with it.
Yes it’s theft. Those vaccines belong to the nhs and have to be accounted for via a prescription. Might as well suggest people lob a brick through a warehouse window.
Just to be clear buddy, wasn’t having a pop at you Poops.
RM.
Did anyone actually read the story properly. The headline is typical crap. They were not offering to buy vaccines but if there was anyone that didn't turn up could they take the space given the vaccine would go off.
Why would a London based company with no apparent specialism in clinical care beyond a health centre property portfolio be better a reassigning a vaccine dose from a no show than that Worthing gp surgery??
It raises an interesting question. in New York Cuomo has been criticised for threatening medical centres with $100,000 fines if they give a vaccine to anyone that isn't on the priority list. In practice it appears some vaccines are distributed in quite large batches and have a short shelf life. If you're a medical centre who has some left over after you've vaccinated everyone on your priority list he's effectively demanding you let the remainder of the batch go to waste rather than be administered to anyone else who would benefit.
Absolute low lives.
I was more concerned about the news stories about SAGE advisors saying the current lockdown measures aren’t enough
I’ve seen that story a few times today only heard about people trying to buy vaccines from here.
Fact is that these vaccines aren’t just being thrown out. My brother (part time gp, will be doing some vaccinations) was called up at home by the surgery he works at telling him that they had a few spare at end of day and were calling round to see if anyone was available to take one, he dropped what he was doing and made the journey in to get jabbed. Very few will be wasted.
It’s not unrealistic to think that if 5k was on the table people from the surgery would be less inclined to call round to find more suitable recipients
And then that 5k vaccine will be sold for massive profits to some rich fella who will benefit at their expense
Scum....
rogermoore
Full Member
Just to be clear buddy, wasn’t having a pop at you Poops.
RM.
No, that's ok mate, didn't take it as such, it's all good.
Did anyone actually read the story properly. The headline is typical crap. They were not offering to buy vaccines but if there was anyone that didn’t turn up could they take the space given the vaccine would go off.
Wanna buy some magic beans?
Did anyone actually read the story properly. The headline is typical crap. They were not offering to buy vaccines but if there was anyone that didn’t turn up could they take the space given the vaccine would go off.
Yes. That isn’t happening any left from no shows or spare doses are being offered to healthcare professionals it’s how I got mine with 24 hours notice.
They were trying to buy vaccines regardless of how you look at it.
The vaccines aren’t going to waste. Our staff get phone calls asking them to come in within 24 hours. So no shows (or people who’ve had Covid within the last four weeks and been called for a vaccine) are not wasted. The company directors should be hung out to dry.
The company directors should be hung
out to dry.
Unfortunately this happened more than people realise. Many gps, especially those the dispensing rights, have been getting payments from suppliers to prescribe their products
Firing squad.
Unfortunately this happened more than people realise. Many gps, especially those the dispensing rights, have been getting payments from suppliers to prescribe their products
That’s almost the polar opposite of what’s happened here.
The company, based in London, has apologised, saying its "good intentions" were "misinterpreted".
Doesn't sound that offering £5k per dose is anything other than an attempt to jump the queue. Misinterpreted my arse. Blatant.
The vaccine is counted out, and then then the data of who has been vaccinated logged. I think the system could be defrauded but , I would hope people who work in the NHS would not be taken in by the potential fraud, but then you could argue, that at least people are still being vaccinated.
We are doing hourly checks, looking for DNA’s, or slots that come free because people can’t have the jab. We have a reserve list (NHS Staff) that we then call people in from.
So far in our patch not one vaccine has been wasted due to not having enough people through the door.
I don’t see anything wrong with the company offering to buy left over vaccines. If the doctors sold them then that is different. Remember that GP surgeries are private companies and if it’s like the flu jab, they actually buy the vaccines from the NHS and are then reimbursed for each jab they give.
Woody74 - there aren’t any “left over” and won’t be until millions of clinically at risk individuals have had it.
GPS are private but their one and only payer (apart from the v odd insurance letter) is the NHS. Absolutely no wriggle room for back of hand vaccine trading this side of mid 2022.
A local surgery has said that more than 1000 over 80s have yet to respond to invites (either to confirm or decline) and the vaccine needs to be used by Tuesday or it’s dumped. In cases like this you can understand if people are tempted to throw cash about. Where my Mum lives, they have been bringing in over 70s if there has been gaps to use up the supply.
A local surgery has said that more than 1000 over 80s have yet to respond to invites
I can understand that.
My Mum got a text, on Friday evening, inviting her to sort out an appointment.
Unfortunately she doesn't have a smart phone so couldn't click the link in the text in order to make the appointment!
I imagine many over 80's are in a similar position.
We sorted her out by her forwarding the text to me so I could follow the link and get her booked in.
... and if it’s like the flu jab, they actually buy the vaccines from the NHS and are then reimbursed for each jab they give.
Not true for the COVID vaccine... It’s not delivered by a ‘single’ GP practice, but by a COHORT of practices. This was the rules stipulated to us.
It’s bulk delivered to the delivery sites, one ‘975 dies box’ at a time.
It makes sense...there’s no was a single GP practice could round up enough at risk patients to have the vaccine before it all went mouldy!
So here in WORTHING (BTW..I’ll try to find out which practice/PCN was approached by this firm!) we’re delivering the vaccine to ALL the surgeries patients in a COMBINED priority order...
I’ve not been made aware of this £5k offer, but TBH it’s pocket change for the monies that roll around the system when it comes to delivering this vaccine... it would be a daft concept for anyone (inside the system..GPs etc) to consider cheating the system because there are SOOO many people involved...
The ‘system” (primary care..GPs etc) are being paid to deliver the vaccine..but it’s barely enough to cover costs TBH.
THat’s not to say it’s not a good idea, but it ain’t the money maker the Mail thinks!
DrP
I don’t see anything wrong with the company offering to buy left over vaccines.
Even if there is nothing ethically wrong with them buying vaccine that would go to waste (and there is), there's plenty wrong with offering £5k to anyone who can help them and plenty wrong with wastign the time of the practice staff reading and reporting these scams.
A local surgery has said that more than 1000 over 80s have yet to respond to invites
...My Mum got a text...
I imagine many over 80’s are in a similar position..
having seen how our local practice works they've probably posted letters to them 2nd class (in a time when royal mail is struggling) and then been surprised when they don't turn up - that's what happens with Flu every year...
If you’re a medical centre who has some left over after you’ve vaccinated everyone on your priority list he’s effectively demanding you let the remainder of the batch go to waste rather than be administered to anyone else who would benefit.
I've not seen the details - but you'd assume that if you've done all the priority 1's you are able to you move on to priority 2's. Or perhaps have some system to call the neighbouring facilities to see if they can use yours on other priority 1s.
Looking at the current role out, lots of people won't see the vaccine this year. Tories being Tories, it will be offered on private prescription.
My OH works with adults with learning disabilities for local authority, a fair number of local GP’s have arrangements to offer vaccines at short notice to those that can pop along to a practice, these are from no-shows or those who have to cancel (recent snow fall and icy weather makes it tough for 80 year old folk to get about). The process is straight forward an email will go out to a list of individuals who have yet to be vaccinated within the organisation and its a first come first served arrangement.
Got to say that the staff at the practices seem to be pulling out the stops on this right now, OH got shout at 4.30 last night to see if she could call in for a jab before 6.
Let’s say for example they did sell it to said private company, who is going to jab the company employees. No doctor or nurse in their right mind would deliver the vaccine without the current protection of the NHS.
And I would imagine any private medical company would have to pay a fortune for indemnity insurance
Looking at the current role out, lots of people won’t see the vaccine this year. Tories being Tories, it will be offered on private prescription.
Citation needed.
I was talking to the in-laws last night and they said that their friend recently got a vaccination at Tesco's (not sure where) as it was close to a vaccination centre and they had left-over doses. Apparently the vaccination team went into the Tesco and had a message put out on the Tannoy system that if anyone was over 80 (with proof) they could get the vaccination done there and then.
I have no idea if this is true but if it is, it sounds quite enterprising and a good way of ensuring wasted vaccines are kept to a minimum.
I have no idea if this is true but if it is, it sounds quite enterprising and a good way of ensuring wasted vaccines are kept to a minimum.
If this WAS done, it wouldn't have been for any financial benefit of Tesco.
It would have just been the vaccine team thinking laterally so as to NOT waste the short shelf life vaccine.
DrP
Let’s say for example they did sell it to said private company, who is going to jab the company employees. No doctor or nurse in their right mind would deliver the vaccine without the current protection of the NHS.
why not? its a licensed medicine being provided by a healthcare professional. There's plenty of Harley St docs who are quite happily guns for hire - if you can pay £5k for vaccine you can pay enough to make them put on a pair of gloves.
And I would imagine any private medical company would have to pay a fortune for indemnity insurance
They do. I doubt there are any carve-outs that say 'but not for vaccination with licensed products' - why would the indemnity insurance cost more for this that measles, yellow fever, or chicken pox which are all fairly routinely available from private providers have similar documented risk of side effects etc.