An administrative blunder has led to people in Tayside and Fife being sent ‘did not attend’ letters for Covid-19 vaccine appointments by mistake.
NHS Fife confirmed the error by the national appointment scheduling system.
An unspecified number of people across Scotland, including a number from Tayside and Fife, have been sent ‘did not attend’ (DNA) letters following up on them not presenting for their first Covid-19 vaccine appointment, even when they did attend and were vaccinated.
Anyone who receives one of the letters should not ignore it but contact their nearest test centre or call the national Covid-19 vaccination helpline.
Administrative error
A spokesperson for NHS Fife, said: “As a result of an administrative error, we anticipate that a number of individuals across Fife, may have received a letter from the national appointment scheduling system, following up on them not presenting for their first Covid-19 vaccination appointment, even when they did attend and were vaccinated.
“If you have received your first dose of the Covid vaccination and are in receipt of one these letters – please do not ignore it.
“Instead, you are asked to phone the national COVID Vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 to check your vaccination record and ensure your second vaccination appointment is scheduled appropriately.
“We thank those individuals affected for their understanding and help in rectifying this issue.”
NHS Tayside issued a similar alert on social media on Monday morning alerting the public to the error.
It is urging those who receive a ‘do not attend’ letter to contact the national helpline to ensure individual central records are kept up-to-date.
Apology
A Scottish Government spokesperson apologised for the error.
They said: “In a small number of cases across different health boards, some people have received letters incorrectly saying that they had not attended their first vaccination appointment, when they had.
“If someone has received one of these letters, and they have had their first dose vaccination, they should phone the national line to help us make sure your central record is up to date and ensure your second appointment is provided for you.
“We apologise for the inconvenience or confusion that this has caused.”
The national helpline is 0800 030 8013.
For more information on Coronavirus in Scotland and to track the spread in your area, follow our daily charts and maps.
Roll up your sleeves: Calling Fife 18 to 49-year-olds for Covid-19 vaccine