North Wales health board chair slams covid queue jumpers

Betsi Cadwaladr’s chairman has criticised Denbighshire council staff for potentially “depriving someone else” of a Covid jab after vaccination invites were shared around by colleagues. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It was alleged this week some council staff, not within the first two cohorts due the vaccination, managed to book appointments by following a link in an email only intended for the recipient. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Denbighshire council said it had warned staff the emails were not to be abused, although it’s not clear whether anyone not entitled succeeded in getting a Covid jab. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Only frontline social care and health workers, those over 80 years old, care home residents and their carers are currently being vaccinated. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Independent member Jackie Hughes brought the matter up at Thursday’s monthly health board meeting. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Answering her query, executive director of primary care and community services, Dr Chris Stockport, said: “We are very clear with our local authority partners and teams of what frontline means in the same way we are elsewhere. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“When you arrive (for a vaccine) there’s a process of validation. The likelihood is they will experience some difficulties working through the booking system (if they try to get into a higher vaccination cohort. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It adds complications for a busy team and I would ask them not to do that when it’s a clear effort to circumvent the cohort.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Mr Polin added: “Whilst we understand the concerns people should not be doing what they are doing. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The priority groups have been identified with clear medical guidance and sound reasoning behind it. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“So people jumping the queue are depriving someone else, potentially, of receiving the vaccine at the point at which they should. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This is a temporary problem because we are changing the booking system, so this opportunity is not going to last much longer. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I know having visited our mass vaccination centre on Deeside our staff are looking out for any inappropriate bookings by staff from any organisation.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Dr Stockport added: “Many of these people are entitled to be in cohort two – but they should use the correct booking system.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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