If you have received an invitation to book your Covid-19 vaccination or are confident you should meet the criteria, then this page on booking issues should help you in understanding any difficulties that come up during the process.
Your invitation will have come from one of two sources. Firstly, if you have received a letter from the NHS inviting you to use 119 or the National Booking System online then please look at the next section. If you have been contacted directly by your GP via phone or text message then please look at the next section.
Invitations to use the National Booking System are based on age, or because of your role as a carer. The system will always offer you an appointment even if this is a long way from Sheffield. There are two reasons this can happen:
*All the slots at Sheffield Arena Mass Vaccination Centre have already been taken.
*Your access requirements within the search are not able to be fully met at Sheffield Arena Mass Vaccination Centre.
From our experience this issue is only encountered by those looking for British Sign Language interpretation and looks like a suggestion that “Bradford” is your nearest option.
Reasons you might not see a local booking for one or both of your appointments.
Firstly, if you have made special access requests during booking then be aware that this can impact the sites you are offered. If you need BSL then you can view pre and post vaccination leaflets in BSL plus the consent form all produced by Public Health England here. This will minimise the challenges using Sheffield Arena though of course this is not ideal. The arena site does have a computer Tablet with individual word sign translation which is not a full interpreter experience, but you might feel this is sufficient to get by.
Secondly, if you made no special access requests and still see a site which is not practical for you to attend then you will need to try again another day when more slots should be made available. Note: The demand for appointments when each new group of invitations is sent out will far exceed slots put on to the booking system. It is normal (if frustrating) to have to try a few times.
If you have a disability and after a week of trying you are still having issues, then please do get in touch with us at: info@disabilitysheffiled.org.uk
Tip: If you only see the first appointment at Sheffield Arena, then the second appointment at another location which is not viable for you to attend this does not have to stop you from booking. You can book both appointments, then change or cancel the second appointment when more local slots become available a few days later.
If your invitation for vaccination comes via Text Message or a phone call, then you have been invited by your GP surgery and this is most likely because you are in Priority Group 6 for people with underlying health conditions. If you believe your condition qualifies you for group 6 and have not been contacted, then see the next section.
If you have had your invitation, then be aware that appointments generally are not available more than two days in advance. If this is causing you an issue because of your disability please contact your GP, and feel free to get in contact with us at info@disabilitysheffield.org.uk if you have difficulties raising your issue with the GP surgery. Also, we are aware that for some with particular transport, or additional support needs that short notice can be a problem so please do seek help.
Note: the GP led system does not allow booking for your second jab. This happens because GP vaccine supplies vary which is why there is a short window between invite and booking. You will be contacted closer to the time where your second dose is due.
If you believe you are in priority group 6 with a qualifying underlying health condition and have not had an invitation by April, then you should contact your GP surgery.
If you have a learning disability you are entitled to a vaccine, but you need to be marked on your GPs Learning Disability Register to receive an invite.
If you have difficult confirming your records are correct after a week contacting your GP then please do get in touch with us at: info@disabilitysheffield.org.uk
If you find that you are not in priority group 6 and have trusted medical advice that suggests this is incorrect, then contact your GP surgery to raise this and get in touch with us if this is problematic after persisting with your enquiry.