Another day, another Covid cock up

WHO is failing us now? Here, I mean. In Essex and the rest of East Anglia where vaccine delivery is slow and sporadic. There are choices for blame.

Most likely in this year of incompetence we would accuse the Government for not sharing out the vaccine properly or fairly. But it's not us say Number 10, claiming an equal division across the nation but suddenly finding the need to deliver more to Sadiq Khan's beleaguered London.

But then Number 10 makes a virtue of lying these days.

So could it be our own dear local troops? In the form of those desperate MP, Andrew Lansley confections, the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). EDIT: Four out of 10 board members are GPs and the board decide clinical spending n the area. Lansley thought GPs made good managers. 

Just recently for alleged reasons of financial efficiency our own Halstead area CCG, Mid  Essex joined forces with South Essex CCG, bringing the services for areas such as Braintree together with Southend and Thurrock. (See map below)

And now it seems we are being failed, possibly by them. This affects the whole of Essex and indeed Suffolk and Norfolk but my focus will be on my bit here in Halstead and Braintree. A week ago, with some fanfare we learned that several GPs surgeries in West Essex (Uttlesford, Epping etc) were delivering vaccines to the over 80s. And that South Essex was starting too. But of Mid Essex, not a word.

Halstead has the benefit of big, single site surgery - the Elizabeth Courtauld - with many GPs, clinical specialists, nurses and associated services. In fact I recall about 16 surgeries and treatment rooms and, ideally for separation in Covid times, twin entrances/exits and loads of parking. And central.

But it lies idle and when news that we were at last to get some jabs came through it was not at out own Elizabeth Courtauld surgery but four miles away at the Pound Lane Surgery in Earls Colne! Which means 80 year olds having to be taken by car or bus (COVID!) to and from the centre. Barmy or what?

Nobody knows why this is happening. There is a rumour, unconfirmed, that the Courtauld surgery is fighting a major Covid outbreak. If we knew we might sympathise. We do not.

And so we see the figures given here:

Midlands -                                         447,329 (35%)North-east England & Yorkshire -     433,045 (49%)South-east England -                         411,257 (36%)North-west England -                         318,445 (36%)South-west England -                         285,332 (37%)London -                                             237,524 (31%)Eastern England -                               236,023 (30%)

As this clearly shows the East is lagging behind - by a wide margin. In fact some local numbers suggest that it is even worse in - guess? - Mid Essex than anywhere else. And this is an area with a statistically high number of over 80s and retired folk with underlying health issues. In other words the primary risk group who pose the NHS most challenges. 

I among others have drawn this to the attention of our MP, James Cleverly and others affects which happens to include a certain Health Secretary by name Matt Hancock!

At last, in this  retirement block of largely 80 years old, the first 8 out of 56 have had their first jab today. Since it will be at least 12 weeks before that can be taken to be a valid protection we are not hanging out the bunting just yet but it is a start.

For those of us  rated highly vulnerable but unqualified by the major 80 badge (just) it remains scarily frustrating to have to out any faith at all in an organisation (not the NHS of course) that has failed so frequently in such a short time. After all it is not yet even a year since this crisis began!

This shows the Mid Essex area in blue with its new partners, South Essex, in pale green. The West is to the left of this image towards London. 

EDIT: I have slightly edited the original wording re the CCG constitution as it appears the number of GPs was reduced some time ago. Good.

An everyday story of Covid folk...

Catching Covid is on my mind. How easy is it?

People talk about this like it was the war but it is not. There are no air raid sirens. No rumble of bombers overhead. No screaming bombs falling. And in the morning nothing appears to have changed - no wreckage across the pavements.

No. This is how it happens.

Walking down he street you see two young people walking, poring over a map.

"Can you help?" he asks. Of course.

"We are looking for the Gallery?"

Yes, yes, look here, left then right and it is about 200 yards. You both look at his map. She smiles. "Thank you" they say and walk on.

And then you wonder. Were they wearing masks?

Well we are outside so does it... but we both looked at his map... heads close. Well anyway we all had masks... But I saw her smile... and is mine... you slip it back over your nose.

Oh well it will be all right...

Home and the day passes. Morning and your NHS Covid App beeps...

"Yesterday you were in contact with someone who has proved positive for Covid. Please book a test as soon as possible...."

You do. You go. The test. You wait.

"Mr Muckleby? We have your result...."

No sirens. No bombs. Just terror.

Remember - MASK - SPACE - HANDS.

Keep calm and carry on carefully.