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What's happening with the data about the vaccine? Well, let's put it this way: there's a lot to sort out
A THREAD on my reporting today
A THREAD on my reporting today
This is Dr Elliot Singer, a GP in Waltham Forest. If anyone can be called a community doctor, it’s him. He wasn’t just born locally, he was delivered by the GP who used to have his practice
He’s delighted to be delivering the vaccine, but the tech is causing “huge frustration“
He’s delighted to be delivering the vaccine, but the tech is causing “huge frustration“
There are numerous software systems involved with vaccination, but two are central. 1. Recording who's had the vaccine (and which vaccine, what batch etc). 2. Inviting and booking patients for appointments - what's known as "call and recall"
There are problems with both
There are problems with both
The data recording is done by a system called Pinnacle. It arrived last week and there've been problems ever since. There are issues with access. It also keeps crashing
One senior health official told me the IT was “failing constantly”
One senior health official told me the IT was “failing constantly”
As a result, a lot of the data capture is being done by hand, before being entered into the system. Yes, that’s right, in 2020, vaccine data is being coached with pen and paper
From a data point of view, this is barbaric. But to Dr Singer, the real cost is the wasted time
From a data point of view, this is barbaric. But to Dr Singer, the real cost is the wasted time
"We’re all getting really frustrated. It’s just not helping to deliver the programme,” he said
The practice keeps people outside as much as possible
“It's not nice weather and we've got old people standing out in the cold waiting to get their vaccine because of these delays”
The practice keeps people outside as much as possible
“It's not nice weather and we've got old people standing out in the cold waiting to get their vaccine because of these delays”
If you're looking for a reason for the government hasn't been regularly releasing the numbers of people who are vaccinated, this issue is probably it
I don’t want to speculate too much but from what I’m told the figures put out today may be *very* provisional
I don’t want to speculate too much but from what I’m told the figures put out today may be *very* provisional
But the other issue is potentially much bigger
Call and recall is absolutely central to delivery of a vaccine - and multiple sources, including Dr Singer, say there isn't a call and recall system for the vaccination programme
It was asked for months ago, but it hasn't arrived
Call and recall is absolutely central to delivery of a vaccine - and multiple sources, including Dr Singer, say there isn't a call and recall system for the vaccination programme
It was asked for months ago, but it hasn't arrived
If call and recall goes wrong, then people could get missed or even (although this is very unlikely) double dosed
That’s not happening now (we hope) because GPs have figured out workarounds. But, just as with the data recording, the real cost is time
That’s not happening now (we hope) because GPs have figured out workarounds. But, just as with the data recording, the real cost is time
None of the systems talk to each other, so Dr Singer’s admin staff are making appointments with one system, then manually entering them into another, then doing it all again for the second vaccine
Lots of potential for mistakes. Lots of wasted time
Lots of potential for mistakes. Lots of wasted time
This is still early days and I'm assured by people close to the system that things will improve
But we've heard that before - and in the meantime, time is passing, just when we need things to move quickly
More here in written form http://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-may-be-delayed-with-it-system-failing-constantly-12164829
But we've heard that before - and in the meantime, time is passing, just when we need things to move quickly
More here in written form http://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-may-be-delayed-with-it-system-failing-constantly-12164829
And in TV form if that’s your thing
Thanks as ever to the incredible team who turned such unpromising material into telly
Producer: @SkyNewsValerie
Editor: Alf Bowles
Camera: Martin Smith
Graphics: Jonathan Toolan https://twitter.com/rowlsmanthorpe/status/1339359047691214851
Thanks as ever to the incredible team who turned such unpromising material into telly
Producer: @SkyNewsValerie
Editor: Alf Bowles
Camera: Martin Smith
Graphics: Jonathan Toolan https://twitter.com/rowlsmanthorpe/status/1339359047691214851
Shout out to @RichardVaughan1 and @DavidParsleyPW who've been doing fantastic work in this area. Some great reporting here in particular https://inews.co.uk/news/health/covid-vaccines-fears-double-dosing-gps-nhs-it-chaos-exclusive-792346
In case you missed my story about the technical issues with the vaccine rollout, here it is - now with an updated comment from NHS England
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-may-be-delayed-with-it-system-failing-constantly-12164829
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-may-be-delayed-with-it-system-failing-constantly-12164829
And here is @JonAshworth asking about it earlier in the House of Commons https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0041215f-98c9-4c34-b643-a2447ae71243?in=11:55:01
