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Another fecking disaster, got the letter this am and havejust spent the last 40 minutes trying to book a inoculation slot all I got was 502 bad gateway errors so another covid fail for boris the bastard's criminally corrupt tory grubbyment!

They are definitely not making this easy to sign up, phoning is a waste of time as it just rings no answer.

Like it is not as though they shouldn't have expected to be busy when these letters have landed.

You just couldn't make this up.

My wife has just spent the last two hours on the phone trying to sort out this vaccination appointment, an hour waiting to get through and another hour plaiting jam with the person on the other end.

Booked in for the first jab at the Scumderland nightingale hospital on the 26th this month, doddle. Then it started to unpick as to get the first jab you need to book in for the second jab as well how ever for some strange reason the only place doing it near us is the Centre for life in central Newcastle which is a no no as the there is no parking and Newcastle has an anti car policy and public transport is not an option as it involves changes and takes the best part of 3/4s of an hour on buses. When asked why the Scumderland site wasn't available in May for the second jab it was not clear.

So the wife says no worries I will sort something out with my GP for the second jab to which she was told can't do that as you need be booked in for the second jab at Newcastle, again the wife said but we will not go to Newcastle to which she was eventually told well just phone up nearer the time and cancel the second jab so I can book you in for the first jab now!?:!?!?!

If it takes everyone a frustrating hour to book they will never get it done.

Fecking Franz Kafka couldn't make this shite up.

Free Parking in Central Station long stay car park (you get presented a ticket and validate it at centre of life), or free parking at times square car park

https://coronavirus.newcastle-hospitals ... -for-life/


Wife was vaccinated at centre for life last night (it was after 6pm so we just used the car park down from the college, which is free after 6pm), she was in and out within 15 mins, said it was very well organised.

Thanks for that no-one mentioned this free parking to my wife or to any of our other friends that were offered centre for life and said they wouldn't go as there is no parking, how exactly does it work as I don't follow links? Is it just as simple as you have said?

I just googled parking when my wife got the appointment - I don't think anyone passed the information on when she booked her appointment.

We had a late appointment so just used the car park down from the college (free after 6pm), so I can't comment on how well the parking at Central station works.

Taken from the link.....

Free Parking at Newcastle’s Central Station for those attending The Centre for Life for their NHS Covid-19 Vaccination

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) will be making more than 370 car parking spaces available for people attending the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Centre at Newcastle’s Centre for Life. This is the best option for parking if you are driving yourself to your vaccination appointment.

If you are being driven by someone else we would advise against using this location and we have provided details below regarding suitable alternatives for those providing lifts.

From Monday 18th January, LNER will offer spaces at Newcastle Central Station’s long stay car park (NE1 5DL) free of charge to people invited to receive the vaccine being administered at the city centre location.

How will this work?
Newcastle Central Station’s long stay car park is barrier-controlled and you will be given a ticket on entering. This entry ticket must be exchanged when checking in at the Centre for Life for a ticket which will allow exit from the car park free of charge. An exit ticket will only be provided by staff if the entry ticket is available so please ensure you bring your entry ticket with you to your appointment.

Need to be dropped off by someone else who will wait nearby whilst you get your vaccination?
From Monday 18th January you can be dropped off nearby and we have secured some temporary parking spaces from Newcastle City Council for your driver whilst you get your vaccination.

Please refer to the map belowDrop off and collection map

You can be dropped off at Times Square, NE1 4EE (on Marlborough Crescent) and walk a short distance to the main entrance. The driver can drive round to wait in the Ord Street Coach Park, NE4 7AD (just past Jury Inn on Ord Street). City Council Parking attendants will be on hand to show them where to go and provide any support necessary.

We would recommend you are able to call the driver when you are leaving the vaccination centre. If you are not able to do this suggest your lift comes to collect you in approximately 45 minutes.

When you are ready to be picked up your lift can drive round to pick you up at the collection point neat the barrier on Forth Banks, NE1 3PG at the bottom of the Centre for Life.

Still looks like a bit of a feck on and I never go into Newcastle normally as it is horrendous to get around, anyway it is for the second jab and is booked for end of May so we will see what happens in the interim, perhaps a better option might arise.

I had a text message late last week. Clicked on the link, gave me two local centres and a choice of days and times. Selected the best for me, received a text confirming and then another text on Sunday to remind me about yesterday. Took less than 2 minutes.

No requirement for a second one to be booked either. Only oddity was that it gave me the two sites about 6 miles away - with on site parking but failed to offer the one about 1 mile away!



Seeing CraigH comments which included a suggestion of 45 minutes - I was in the building for under 5 minutes before sitting in my car for 15 minutes. If tghey are suggesting 45 minutes to get through then they cannot be doing an effective or efficient job.

There seems to be two parallel covid innoculation systems, one being run by the NHS the one I've gone for here and another by the GP surgery. From local feedback the GP system seems to work very well and after this NHS experience I would recommend waiting for your GP to contact you at least in my area.

The other problem is people on the phone with no geographical knowledge, I have a DH post code but I am actually in Gateshead, initially all we were offered was Durham sites and it took an age to get some nearer Gateshead sites. Their is one at Blaydon as my wife was at the centre a couple of weeks ago on another matter and the whole place was signed and barriered as covid vaccination centre but that wasn't given an option for us.

45 mins...I have heard that some places ask you to wait a little bit to make sure there are no immediate side effects.

Text from my GP practice 12th Feb inviting me to book a slot with NHS that they linked to. Took me less than two minutes to book via the link for 2.40pm slot today at an immunisation centre a few miles from home. Confirmation text from GP and NHS, Covid check questionnaire from GP. Confirmation from GP to attend. Attended today 35 minutes from being dropped off by wife and back to car, the receptionist was one from my own GP.

Clockwork.