Covid: 'Two-month' vaccine wait for housebound woman, 84

A housebound 84-year-old woman said she was told she may have to wait up to two months to have her coronavirus vaccine if she could not get to her GP surgery.

Stuart Wilson said his mother Julia was immobile and she required two people with a hoist to get her up.

He said her surgery in Sketty, Swansea, called on Tuesday offering a jab but they were told it would take time to arrange a house visit.

Welsh Government said a mobile service could take a jab to the housebound.

Dr Chris Johns, from Sketty Medical Centre, said: "I can give assurances that no housebound patient is being asked to wait this long for their vaccination.

"This is a massive undertaking by GPs and we would ask older patients, if they are mobile, to attend one of our vaccination clinics instead."

He said teams have already made close to 200 house calls to vaccinate those unable to come to the surgery and over the next few weeks GPs would continue to go to patients' homes "where necessary".

More than 175,000 vaccines have been administered across Wales so far.

Under Welsh Government plans, the goal is for everyone over the age of 70 to be offered a vaccination by mid-February.

"I'm appalled," said Mr Wilson. "It's completely immoral."

Mr Wilson said the call left his mother "concerned and distressed" so with her permission he spoke to the GP surgery himself.

She has been with the surgery, which is the Sketty branch of Sketty and Killay Surgeries, for about five years, and they are familiar with her condition as she receives home visits for flu jabs.

"What I can't understand is how they can invite somebody for a vaccination and then turn around and say because you're housebound, they can't give it yet," he added.

"I'm not asking for preferential treatment; we're not asking to be bumped up the list. I was disgusted by the total lack of information."

Mr Wilson said he knew of three other cases where patients have been given the same information.

He said disabled people should receive equal treatment. He has also taken the issue up with the disability rights association, Disability Wales, who have been asked to comment.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "Those who cannot attend their appointment or cannot travel to the vaccination venue can let your health board know through the NHS booking system. They will then be offered another appointment on another day or at a more convenient location.

"There are also plans in place for people who are housebound and for care homes, which will mean the vaccine can be safely taken to them using a mobile service if they are unable to attend a GP surgery or mass vaccination centre."

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government has been criticised over the speed of rolling out vaccines to the over 80s age group.

Steve Hockridge's 92-year-old mother Sheila suffers from Alzheimer's disease and lives alone in Cardiff.

He contacted her surgery but was told they had "no information" about when she would receive a vaccine.

"My confidence in the Welsh Government has been knocked," he said.

"After all the clarity during this pandemic, with this area they seem to be very, very secretive, giving different messages [which are] quite often conflicting."

In Wrexham, Helen Field said her mother, Eileen, 94, was also still waiting to hear about her vaccine.

"Our relations over the border in the Wirral area who are in a similar age group of over 80s and 90s have all received their second vaccine," she said.

"The difference is quite alarming and I just want to know what's going on in Wales and why they are so slow in putting the vaccines out?

"Nobody can seem to give us any information and it seems to be so poorly organised."

The Welsh Government spokesperson said: "Every day in Wales we are speeding up the vaccination programme.

"Thousands more people are receiving their first dose of the Covid vaccine and more clinics are opening with 45 vaccination centres operating or due to be operating shortly, and more than 250 GP surgeries being involved by the end of this month. As of 20 January, more than 175,816 people in Wales have been vaccinated."