"Still waiting for my flu vaccine"

Diagnosed at a young age with Anaphylaxis as a result of allergies to, but not restricted to, Dairy, Egg, Peanuts, Soya, as well as being diagnosed with Asthma.

Consequently, due to having underlying health conditions and a long term respiratory disease, being my asthma, I am classed as being in one of four 'at risk' categories, as defined by the NHS, to receive the flu vaccine as the symptoms could be more severe to me; this category being 'adults, and children, with underlying health conditions and long term respiratory disease'.

Previously I was unable yo receive the flu vaccine as it was hatched on hen's eggs.

However, several years ago I discovered, through a family friend, that a new flu vaccine, which was not hatched on hen's eggs, had been developed and may be suitable for me to receive.

Despite, Dr's confirming that I was eligible to receive the flu vaccine due to my underlying health conditions, and that my details would be added to the 'at risk' register, this has regrettably not been the case as I have never ever been contacted by my local GP Surgery, Inveraray Surgery, to receive the flu vaccine, I have always had to contact them in this regard.

Furthermore, when contacting my local GP Surgery this year to check that an egg-free vaccine had been ordered for me, I was informed that another new flu vaccine had been developed, which supposedly eliminated the requirement for a specific egg free flu vaccine to be ordered, and was suitable for everyone to receive.

Considering I hadn't been contacted prior to this new flu vaccine being available, I arranged an appointment with my GP Surgery to speak with the Dr on duty regarding how this had been developed, to ensure that I could receive the vaccine.

It was then that the Dr on duty advised that no ingredient listing had been issued with the new flu vaccine, but that they trusted the manufacturer.

Questioning how a Dr could guarantee it was safe for me to receive given an ingredient listing hadn't been distributed and they hadn't referred to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guidelines to establish what clinical trials the vaccine had undergone, they kept reiterating to me that they 'trusted the manufacturer'.

When relaying to the Dr that it wasn't a simple case of if they gave me the vaccine and it didn't work that was it, that it was a case of life or death for me, and that this was a situation that my local GP Surgery and it's staff, fail to comprehend, the Dr sat back, sipped their beverage and rolled their eyes as though my health concerns were an inconvenience to them.

The abrasive and dismissive attitudes, including the lack of patient care displayed, of both the Dr on duty and the receptionist at my local GP Surgery, has been appalling and this is a long standing issue.

To date, I still haven't received confirmation from my local GP Surgery that I am on the 'at risk' register.

I have lodged a formal complaint with my local GP Surgery in this regard, but to date I am awaiting their response in this regard.