A 55-year-old woman with terminal breast cancer was told too wait a week to book her coronavirus -1>coronavirus vaccine thanks to an IT glitch.
Lesley Stephen has stage four cancer and her immune system is compromised with her lungs under attack from cancer cells.
She says NHS bosses told her she may have to wait a week for the important booster jab for both Covid and the flu due to 'major IT problems', reports the Daily Record.
A third dose of the coronavirus vaccine is being offered for people with a severely weakened immune system.
This third primary dose is an extra ‘top-up’ dose to help increase the level of protection for people who may not have generated a full immune response to the first two doses and might be less protected than the wider population.
Multiple cases of people experiencing online booking issues have emerged on social media in recent days, with Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie also raising the issue with the First Minister in Parliament on Thursday.
Lesley said she had decided to go to a local clinic on the off-chance of her being vaccinated and was 'lucky' to get her jab today.
She told the Record: "I was lucky as I managed to get it this morning just by turning up. The place was totally empty when I turned up.
"I had received a letter about a month ago and went along on the appointed day with a timeslot. Despite having an appointment I was told it would be a two hour wait and it was absolute chaos.
"The hall was crammed with people and I just thought I wasn't going to sit here for hours and I'd just rebook it which I thought would be easy.
"This week I decided to try and rebook and on Wednesday I tried to book online but I couldn't get past the NHS Inform page.
"I phoned up and got through to someone who was very nice and who said 'I'm very sorry but our systems are down and can you phone back in a week'.
"I was shocked to hear it would take a week to fix this system when the country is facing the biggest crisis.
"I was so shocked. The most immune compromised can't get their jab because of an IT failure basically."
She added: "I had expected to be told to phone back the next day but to I just couldn't believe it when she said to ring in a week- and she didn't even sound confident about that.
"I have stage four breast cancer. I can't be cured from this. It is a terminal and life-limiting illness.
"With advanced breast cancer like mine it means that the cancer cells have moved from the breast to other organs.
"In my case they congregate and create tumours in my lungs.
"With covid being a respiratory disease I have to be very careful."
Lesley tweeted Health Secretary Humza Yousaf calling the situation a 'shambles'.
She wrote: "Being a good citizen and immune compromised with stage 4 cancer, tried to book my booster &flu jabs. Told to phone back in a week as major IT problems - not in a day but in a week! No booster service at drop in clinics. @HumzaYousaf what a shambles- get it fixed."
Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie also highlighted the issue to Nicola Sturgeon during questions in parliament on Thursday.
The Scottish Labour deputy leader - who is also the party’s health, social care and equalities spokesperson - said a 94-year-old patient in her constituency had to cancel her booster appointment because she caught Covid.
Commenting on the IT glitch yesterday, a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “People who meet the severely immunosuppressed (SIS) criteria are being offered a third primary dose, and these are well underway.
“These individuals will be invited via letter, and should the appointed time not be suitable these can be rebooked.
“Most third primary dose appointments should now be in place for SIS. If someone thinks they have not been included and should be, they should contact their GP or specialist to look into this and take action if required.”
