Balerno pensioner who made pleas to vaccine helpline, NHS and First Minister for appointment receives first dose of vaccine after local councillor steps in

Marjorie Campbell, 72, has never received a letter or call from the Scottish government to book her in for the first dose of the vaccine, despite Ms Sturgeon’s claims that all over 70s had now been offered it.

Mrs Campbell seen her friends, neighbours and husband all receive their letters and first dose of the vaccine and feared she had been missed.

She repeatedly called the vaccine helpline and followed their advice to contact NHS and her GP surgery who were unable to help book her in for a vaccine.

Last week, she contacted Ms Sturgeon on the First Minister’s email address as she advised Scots to do in her daily briefing if they were having issues booking in for a vaccine but has still not received an acknowledgement or response.

Following an Evening News article, a Scottish government spokesperson said that they are ‘satisfied’ that the target to offer all over 20s the vaccination had been met, however could not ‘rule out the possibility that some letters might have gone astray or been sent to the wrong address’.

The government advised Mrs Campbell again to contact her GP or local health board, both which had already said they could not assist her further.

Frustrated at her inability to book a vaccine she contacted her local councillor Graeme Bruce who sought to help her book in for a vaccine at a doctor’s surgery.

On Thursday, Mrs Campbell received a call from Sighthill Medical Centre to advise that councillor Bruce had been in contact and they could welcome her in for a vaccine that afternoon.

Mrs Campbell said: “It is such a big relief, now that they have me in the system I should hopefully not encounter the same problem when it comes to getting the second dose.

“I hope that the Evening News article helps other people who are in the same situation as me. Why should you have to go through all that to get a vaccine when it was not my fault?

“I feel so sorry for anyone else in the same situation but urge them to keep pushing like I did.”

Councillor Bruce added: “I am absolutely delighted that Mrs Campbell has finally been given her vaccine and that the centre will follow up in a few weeks time to administer her the second dose.

“Myself and my support assistant tried a number of avenues but were eventually able to get in contact with the NHS staff at the medical health centre at Sighthill who couldn’t have been more helpful in dealing with this issue. They are doing an amazing job.”

On the same day Mrs Campbell received her vaccine, she also received an acknowledgement email from the government for an email regarding her vaccine she made on February 9.

The email said that her ‘query will be passed to the relevant area for consideration’.

The Scottish government have been approached for comment.

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