Adding vaccinations abroad to NHS records?

[stevensfo]

As some may have guessed over the years, I bounce between Italy and the UK. I'm having to stay longer than planned in Italy and they suggested I do my booster there.

They scanned my NHS certificate with QR codes, no problem and now I have a letter in Italian/English to prove the 3rd dose, date, place etc. But no QR code yet. I do not have a Tessera Sanitaria, their equivalent of an NHS number, and due to this, their computers have great difficulty in producing a code. Welcome to Mr Bean bureaucracy!

So I will try adding it to my NHS records and get an updated QR code that way. That would solve all problems. Anyone done this? On the Covid cert download page, I read:

Download this file to your device
If you have any questions, email covid19cert.no-reply@nhs.net.

But the email is a 'no-reply' address!!??

I did phone my local surgery but the nice ladies on the desk don't have a clue.

Steve

[Julian]

Sorry Steve, I've no idea, but I do remember from old posts here that Lootman got at least one and I'm 99% sure both of his original Pfizer doses in the USA so as someone active in this forum hopefully he will stumble across this thread and might have something to contribute.

- Julian

[PhaseThree]

I wish you luck.
My mother-in-law had her first two jabs while visiting us in here in Northern Ireland. She has been trying to get these recognised and added to her English NHS vaccination record ever since. So far there has been a never ending sequence of can't be done/don't know how/someone else's problem.

[Hallucigenia]

Probably no use to stevensfo but possibly PhaseThree, the best way to get the EU and NHS systems to talk to each other seems to be to download the Irish app, for whom EU/UK compatability is obviously more important than most. Once you get "foreign" jabs registered there, then it's meant to be pretty easy to export them to other apps, although I have no direct experience.

However it seems that stevensfo's problems are at the earlier stage of registering a jab from a country where you have no equivalent of an NHS number. This can't be a unique problem, so I imagine the NHS have some kind of manual process for handling it, and hopefully the relevant bureaucracy is now finding things a bit quieter so they should be able to help you OK if you eg try that email address?

[stevensfo]

Probably no use to stevensfo but possibly PhaseThree, the best way to get the EU and NHS systems to talk to each other seems to be to download the Irish app, for whom EU/UK compatability is obviously more important than most. Once you get "foreign" jabs registered there, then it's meant to be pretty easy to export them to other apps, although I have no direct experience.

However it seems that stevensfo's problems are at the earlier stage of registering a jab from a country where you have no equivalent of an NHS number. This can't be a unique problem, so I imagine the NHS have some kind of manual process for handling it, and hopefully the relevant bureaucracy is now finding things a bit quieter so they should be able to help you OK if you eg try that email address?

Yes, I'm going to try it. It was a bit of a panic last week since, from the 1st Feb, the government in Italy decided to tighten the rules, meaning that apart from food supermarkets, all shops were obliged to ask to see your pass, or risk being fined. My hospital certificate confirming the 3rd dose was fine for those with average intelligence, but a lot of people wanted to scan a QR code, which I didn't have.

The changes in the last week have been breath-taking and all foreigners are now exempt from having to show proof of a 3rd dose of vaccine.

The reason? Not admitted officially, but everyone knows that the ski resorts and hotels stood to lose millions. e.g. Polish tourists are catching up with British numbers but their vaccine certificate is valid 9 months. A mess! So a quick climb-down and back to the drawing board.

Steve

PS The after-effects of my booster (Moderna) were MUCH worse than when I actually had Covid! Fortunately only lasted a day. My darling wife, who doesn't believe in men being ill, asked me if I wanted a glass of wine. When I declined, she stared at me and said, "^&%#!! You MUST be ill!"

[Lootman]

Sorry Steve, I've no idea, but I do remember from old posts here that Lootman got at least one and I'm 99% sure both of his original Pfizer doses in the USA so as someone active in this forum hopefully he will stumble across this thread and might have something to contribute.

Yes, I did have my two Pfizer jabs in the US, 3 weeks apart, and I have a CDC card to prove that.

Although I have the NHS app on my phone I have not yet attempted to get that US record documented on my NHS record. I had been wondering myself about doing that so this topic is useful. I figured there must be a way but so far I have managed without it.

When asked for proof I either show my CDC card, or a photo of it, or the electronic confirmation of my jabs in the form of a text and QR code issued by the state of California. Haven't had a problem yet.

[mc2fool]

I did phone my local surgery but the nice ladies on the desk don't have a clue.

My mother-in-law had her first two jabs while visiting us in here in Northern Ireland. She has been trying to get these recognised and added to her English NHS vaccination record ever since. So far there has been a never ending sequence of can't be done/don't know how/someone else's problem.

I take it you folks/MiL have tried https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/tell-nhs-about-coronavirus-vaccinations-abroad/ ?

In any case, I'm a little (ok, only a little) surprised at the responses from your local practices, although I guess it may depend on precisely the question asked.

NHS records are actually records held by your GP's practice, and they should be able to amend them as they wish. E.g. when I changed GP some years ago I found that my vaccinations record, for reasons unknown, didn't get to my new GP, so I gave them my personal record of jabs I'd had (studiously kept, along with date & type, as I used to travel a lot), and they just entered them into my NHS record.

They did so on trust, I guess on the basis that nobody has much of a reason to lie about if/when they had their last DPT jab and the like, but I could understand that they might want to ask for proof for a covid jab, but the point is that it's your GP's practice that holds medical records and they should be able to add vaccinations, abroad or anywhere, to them.

Now, there may be a different question for covid jabs, being how to get a covid jab abroad reflected in your "NHS COVID Pass", which is, of course, the practical matter, and that may be a different system and I guess is what the link above is about ...

[stevensfo]

I did phone my local surgery but the nice ladies on the desk don't have a clue.

My mother-in-law had her first two jabs while visiting us in here in Northern Ireland. She has been trying to get these recognised and added to her English NHS vaccination record ever since. So far there has been a never ending sequence of can't be done/don't know how/someone else's problem.

I take it you folks/MiL have tried https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/tell-nhs-about-coronavirus-vaccinations-abroad/ ?

In any case, I'm a little (ok, only a little) surprised at the responses from your local practices, although I guess it may depend on precisely the question asked.

NHS records are actually records held by your GP's practice, and they should be able to amend them as they wish. E.g. when I changed GP some years ago I found that my vaccinations record, for reasons unknown, didn't get to my new GP, so I gave them my personal record of jabs I'd had (studiously kept, along with date & type, as I used to travel a lot), and they just entered them into my NHS record.

They did so on trust, I guess on the basis that nobody has much of a reason to lie about if/when they had their last DPT jab and the like, but I could understand that they might want to ask for proof for a covid jab, but the point is that it's your GP's practice that holds medical records and they should be able to add vaccinations, abroad or anywhere, to them.

Now, there may be a different question for covid jabs, being how to get a covid jab abroad reflected in your "NHS COVID Pass", which is, of course, the practical matter, and that may be a different system and I guess is what the link above is about ...

Yes, I think I will have to go in person, hold my hands up, say "No, I don't want to see a real doctor" (if there are any still in existence?) but I have this piece of paper in my hand......

Steve

PS The NHS app seems to be great for the Covid passes. Not for much else though!

[mc2fool]

PS The NHS app seems to be great for the Covid passes. Not for much else though!

Well, depending on what your GP practice has allowed, you should be able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and see your entire medical record. If you can't do any of those, ask your practice why not. It may just be a simple case of signing up

[Lootman]

NHS records are actually records held by your GP's practice, and they should be able to amend them as they wish. E.g. when I changed GP some years ago I found that my vaccinations record, for reasons unknown, didn't get to my new GP, so I gave them my personal record of jabs I'd had (studiously kept, along with date & type, as I used to travel a lot), and they just entered them into my NHS record.

Yes, my plan was to try and get my GP's office to enter the data on my behalf when I had my next GP visit. Fortunately I have had no need to see my GP in 18 months so that is still on my to-do list. I assume that they can just add the record in the same way as if they had jabbed me themselves, subject to seeing proof.

Like you my current NHS record shows zero jabs, which is ridiculous as I have had a lot during and since childhood. But then computers barely existed when I had a good few of them.

[stevensfo]

PS The NHS app seems to be great for the Covid passes. Not for much else though!

Well, depending on what your GP practice has allowed, you should be able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and see your entire medical record. If you can't do any of those, ask your practice why not. It may just be a simple case of signing up

For quite a few years, I used patientaccess.com on the internet that provided all those services.

This then went downhill and all the useful menu options disappeared.

Then the NHS app appeared and, as I said, it seems to keep the covid data, but sweet fanny adams besides.

At a time when due to demographic changes, there are more and more elderly people, I cannot understand how anyone is actually PAID for all this!

My mother has finally mastered her laptop.

Now she has to use a Smartphone????

Gimmee a break!

Steve

PS My sister is a nurse and we have persuaded mum to start using a smartphone, though just for Whatsapp and phoning.

In a few years, we may get her started on Apps.

[mc2fool]

PS The NHS app seems to be great for the Covid passes. Not for much else though!

Well, depending on what your GP practice has allowed, you should be able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and see your entire medical record. If you can't do any of those, ask your practice why not. It may just be a simple case of signing up

For quite a few years, I used patientaccess.com on the internet that provided all those services.

This then went downhill and all the useful menu options disappeared.

That's up to your GP practice, so complain to them! AFAIAA the online access your GP allows is independent of the client used, so whatever you can and can't do via Patient Access will be the same as what you can and can't do via the NHS app, or any of the other clients around (with the single exception of the Covid Pass). I have both Patient Access and the NHS App and that's the way it is for me at least.

My mother has finally mastered her laptop.

Now she has to use a Smartphone????

You don't need a smartphone for the NHS App, you can access it with any browser at https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

[stevensfo]

PS The NHS app seems to be great for the Covid passes. Not for much else though!

Well, depending on what your GP practice has allowed, you should be able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and see your entire medical record. If you can't do any of those, ask your practice why not. It may just be a simple case of signing up

For quite a few years, I used patientaccess.com on the internet that provided all those services.

This then went downhill and all the useful menu options disappeared.

That's up to your GP practice, so complain to them! AFAIAA the online access your GP allows is independent of the client used, so whatever you can and can't do via Patient Access will be the same as what you can and can't do via the NHS app, or any of the other clients around (with the single exception of the Covid Pass). I have both Patient Access and the NHS App and that's the way it is for me at least.

My mother has finally mastered her laptop.

Now she has to use a Smartphone????

You don't need a smartphone for the NHS App, you can access it with any browser at https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

No problem on that side. My mum has lived in the village so long that they know her very well.

We will start her off with simple apps and see how it goes. Once she has mastered it, she will probably use it like people use Facebook!

Steve

PS It's quite surreal when I go there (very rarely) and remind them where the surgery used to be, the name of the doctor, how I had to go for anti-hayfever injections after school, the obligatory school-kid throat swabs to test for tonsilitis and other stuff. Quite nostalgic and sometimes upsetting to see how much things have changed.

[stevensfo]

PS The NHS app seems to be great for the Covid passes. Not for much else though!

Well, depending on what your GP practice has allowed, you should be able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and see your entire medical record. If you can't do any of those, ask your practice why not. It may just be a simple case of signing up

For quite a few years, I used patientaccess.com on the internet that provided all those services.

This then went downhill and all the useful menu options disappeared.

That's up to your GP practice, so complain to them! AFAIAA the online access your GP allows is independent of the client used, so whatever you can and can't do via Patient Access will be the same as what you can and can't do via the NHS app, or any of the other clients around (with the single exception of the Covid Pass). I have both Patient Access and the NHS App and that's the way it is for me at least.

My mother has finally mastered her laptop.

Now she has to use a Smartphone????

You don't need a smartphone for the NHS App, you can access it with any browser at https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

Thanks a lot for that. I had no idea I could access it on a PC. I've had it up to here with bloody apps, so it's a nice surprise.

Today, I got another reminder about my NHS booster via email.

Of course, another no-reply address!!! I hate those things with a vengeance. I often toy with registering my own domain name, just so I can include a 'no-reply' address and start sending them to all these places!

Steve

[stevensfo]

Just an update: I have my certificate with the QR code!

My mistake was not realising that an official italian NHS link I received months ago after a PCR test was in fact a permanent way to access my Covid records.

I am free!

Just when they're suddenly relaxing all the rules!

Now just waiting for the W- (Westminster) variant to appear. You know, when you have Covid but you tell everyone that you don't and drive 100 miles to a Pharmacy to buy a test kit and to test your eyesight while claiming that you didn't see the 2nd band in the lateral test cos of your glasses and anyway, it's not your fault and....ad nauseam!

Steve