Its that horrible time of year again when flu kicks in!
Its also my first year looking after Mum at home when I can’t take her to get the flu jab.
How do you get the flu jab delivered to your door?
Sometimes the district nurses have the job of doing flu jabs for housebound people.
Otherwise it’s the g.p. ours came to the house with some flu jabs in her bag just in case, saves a trip down to the surgery.
Give the g.p. surgery a ring, see what they say.
District Nurses I believe are expected to come out and do it.
I look after my mum and she can’t get to the surgery either. Not to put you off, but last year was awful and it took weeks before it was done because the DN and GP were arguing amongst themselves as to who should do it.
I’m sure that won’t happen for you!
If you ring the surgery and explain, they will put you on the list for a home visit.
Call your GP and ask them when the flu jabs come out and to get your mum on the list for a district nurse visit. Alternatively, find out when they’re due to be released/given and ask for a GP home visit. If your surgery is anything like ours, you’ll have to speak with a doctor before actually being allowed to get a home visit, so mention flu jabs then and ask them to bring one out, they should do it without much fuss.
In my parents case, they were waiting a long time before they got theirs through the district nurse’s list and they called without warning (which was a pain in the butt as they are not reliably mobile around the house and can’t always get to the door so someone had to be around 9am-4pm for about three weeks) in the meantime, make sure you and anyone who’s in contact with your mom gets theirs at their GP, which will hopefully prevent your mom picking up anything while she’s waiting for her own jab. 
I phoned our GP and unfortunately jobsworth receptionist of the year answered.
She added Mum to the home visit, but seemed to make it her mission to not let me have a simple flu jab at the same time. Firstly I was told I was “Low Priority as I was only a Carer”. When I stated if someone was coming to the house, it would take 60 seconds to give me the jab at the same time “I didn’t qualify as I’m not a vulnerable adult”. When I told her I was disabled with Spondylitis, she agreed to add me to the lower priority list, meaning two home visits instead of one.
I just couldn’t believe the conversation I’d had when I finally gave up.
Only a Carer is an insult, if I go down with the flu, what will happen to Mum?
I wish I’d asked for her name as the more I think about it, the more it winds me up!!
I had exactly the same issue, I took my caree for the flu jab, I asked could I have a flu jab? NO Not Allowed.
But what happens if the unpaid carer is ill and unable to care, what if hundreds of unpaid carers get flu and are unable to care?
I asked the reception, no you are not on the list, you have to see the G.P…
I had to make a separate appointment, come back another time, explained the issues, YES of course you can have a flu jab said the G.P.
I have immune system problems and may end up in hospital if I get flu.
Then had to make another seperate appointment with the nurse for basically a 2 second jab.
The NHS are just wasting hundreds of appointments, thousands of pounds on bureaucratic rules can’t do this can’t do that, a bit of common sense is what is needed.
Sorry these are 2 separate G.P. surgerys, one had common sense, the G.P. giving flu jabs when she visited her elderly/disabled patients.
Another insisted that elderly and disabled had to travel to the surgery rain or shine, to get their flu jabs.
The pharmacist told me I could have a flu shot as I was mum’s carer, and then gave me one there and then.
This may come across as wrong, but I’m sure the stupid little receptionist went home and told her partner how she’d stopped someone from getting the flu jab. “He kept begging for common sense, but I said no, rules are rules”
I’ve spoken to my GP who instantly put things right, I hope she also had a word in the ear of the stupid receptionist…
Our GP visited today, I asked about the flu jab and how the receptionist had been so unhelpful.
I got the exact reply I expected from our brilliant GP, she will come out and do the vaccines for both of us.
It’s just so typical that this jobsworth receptionist sits on her bum all day telling people what they can and can’t do.
Then you have a pro-active GP whose time is so dear, going around the community helping people.
I genuinely wish I’d taken the receptionist’s name just so I could laugh in her face… Carers are NOT low Priority!!
Glad you’ve got that sorted. Mum’s doctor used to ride a moped for hiss home visits.
When you have the flu jab have it in the MORNING! It is far more effective on your immune system than if you have it later in the day!
Thanks for the tip! I will call our local practice on Monday to ask if someone can come to my flat as my son is a full time wheelchair user.