An update on my exasperation at not being able to get supermarket delivery slots (due to not being accepted on government’s vulnerable person list) My sister suggested I wrote to my GP to ask if she was able to help at all? So I did and was surprised to receive a text from her saying SHE was surprised I wasn’t accepted on the government’s list either and had instructed her secretary to “send the letter”.
The next day I received the letter – telling me to shield myself for 12 weeks! This letter enables me to now be accepted on the government’s vulnerable person list (and get a supermarket slot, yay!)
But what concerned me is: how many other people have slipped through the net if my GP wasn’t aware I’d had the letter? Watching BBC news yesterday it appears there are hundreds of people who haven’t had their letters yet and are going out to walk their dogs/exercise when we shouldn’t if we’re shielding…? Worrying.
So I just wanted to update y’all and, if you haven’t had your shielding letter yet, contact your GP!
that link is the one i tried to use and it says i am not extremely vulnerable as i have PPMS and not on immunspressed drugs. I do however get priority slots as i wrote to CEO of sainsburys with proof of my disability and also Iceland and now with both of them and tesco has been added i have more slots then i need lol. unless suddenly i was on the database.
This frustrates me, I tried again this morning on Sainsbury’s and couldn’t get 1. I will contact my GP’s surgery to see what happens, thanks for this blog, x
I was given the letter by GP so registered then a week later received one from the hospital. Then yesterday I received a letter from the hospital telling me the letter had been sent in error! So I rang them this morning only to be told that oops sorry it was their mistake and yes I should be shielding.
As to supermarket slots they are a joke. Only ones I can get are 10pm at night. I’m in bed by then and even if I wasn’t I’m not having the dog barking and waking my elderly neighbours up.
I have found it easier and less stressful to just go and get my own shopping every two weeks.
I live in Buckinghamshire and have no problems getting a priority slot for shopping deliveries. Unfortunately, it seems where you live has an impact on what’s available. I must admit the slots I have are between 10am and 6pm. That’s okay as I’m at home anyway. The driver brings it in for me. I mainly use Tesco as the others are just hard work.
ok, can someone please expalin to me, why some of us are getting deliveries and other’s not, I have SPMS, no other condition, I’m not, or have ever been on DMD’s, haven’t had a letter, so what the hell is going on ? x x
Sounds like they’re really not organised at all, especially if the BBC are covering the story! It’s bad if people are meant to be shielding but aren’t as they haven’t been warned to - I’d contact your GP, I have SPMS too so I’ll bet you’re supposed to have a letter too, when they get their act together!
I thought that us MSers had sorted this one out weeks ago! It’s not people with MS particularly who are extremely clinically vulnerable unless you are taking medication that strips your immune system. YES we are clinically vulnerable but not extremely clinically vulnerable unless you have other underlying health problems in addition to MS, the government link to register as extremely clinically vulnerable has very specific criteria so will spit back anybody who doesn’t meet the requirements.
how can supermarkets do checks? How can they possibly access information about your medical condition? As they’re not doctors how can they KNOW that you’re extremely clinically vulnerable and should be shielded? I don’t remember ever telling any retailers about my health and would be shocked to be asked by them as under normal conditions it would never be any of their business and when things return to normal will once again be non of their business.
As we’re now 7 weeks into a 12 week lockdown is there any point now of getting a letter to prove that you’re extremely clinically vulnerable as most people must have by now made other arrangements for food which might have meant cooking stuff to eat they wouldn’t have normally tried or shopped from a different source or been going out to shop themselves so for at least 7 weeks they have been risking catching Coronavirus.
if you thought you were extremely clinically vulnerable (and I did) you would have shielded yourself from the beginning of March (and I have) without a letter, I’ve got to many other risk factors MS is only one of em’
Getting a delivery slot was a pain and needed perseverance, patience and flexibility, so I couldn’t get a delivery slot from Sainsbury and had to get one elsewhere which meant some of my regular Sainsbury’s purchases weren’t available, tough, I had to put on my big girl pants and either find something else or go without.
I don’t make the rules. I didn’t need GP letters or written proof of my diagnosis to access slots as I was told by Tesco and Sainsburys that I qualify. I’m not interested in exposing myself to possibilities of catching Covid19.
To get an ordinary slot on Tesco’s, I have to do it 4 weeks in advance at midnight on the day I want a delivery. There’s a bit of a queue but it doesn’t last long. once my slot has been claimed, I can change my order until the day before. I also have very good friends so despite me being classed as vulnerable, I’d rather those who really need it go ahead of me.
I have been trying to get on The shielding list. I seem to be running round in circles and even if I ever get a letter from my GP I’m not sure what you do with it.
Once you have the letter you can then reg on the gov site for most vulnerable. This then is picked up by the supermarkets you are registered with for home delivery.
As stated before don’t hold your breath about getting a delivery.
I’ve just logged into my accounts with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda and all have some delivery slots available in my area Sainsbury are almost back to normal availability which I was very surprised to find as I’ve been frozen out since the beginning of March, I suspect that people have bought so much stuff they can’t accommodate any more or is it because people think that lockdowns over from Monday?
MS is now on the vulnerable persons list. It was put on six weeks late but we are all now classed as vulnerable. I still haven’t got a letter though - it’s hubby who has a letter, I’m still waiting for mine.
Hubby eventually got an email from Asda giving him a guaranteed recurring slot. We now have deliveries every Friday. The number of out of stock items is a nuisance though.
So, once you get an email from Asda, grab that recurring slot, it solves the slot problem.
I was surprised to receive a letter yesterday informing me that I have to isolate. I take Tecfidera and am relatively healthy. I am checking with my MS nurse as it seems unnecessary for me.
Out of interest did your ms nurse come back to you? Only asking as on Tec and have been told no higher risk than anyone else . Just find the whole thing rather unsettling with all the mixed messages. Had my neuro telephone appointment the other day and I said I know I’m in the vulnerable group - to which he said - no your not - I’m thinking it clearly did state ms as in the vulnerable list. I said not shielding but vulnerable? I think they should have used clearer terms to distinguish the groups.
I have MAS (multiple autoimmune syndrome), that’s three auto-immune illnesses. Last week I got a call to say I am officially shielded from the Gov and Council. I phoned the GP in the early days of ‘shielding’. I said I should be shielded, she just said ‘follow’ the guidelines set out by the Government. Full circle I think, GP asked to go through records etc. But I’m not asking for any help ‘shielding’ wise. Managed to get deliveries etc. Hit and miss really.