Access to Free Covid anti viral treatments

[JoanneN]

Still a bit tired and a bit of a cough but much better than I feared thank you . 

[krtea]

Thankfully not, mainly a cough & tired for the first 3 days

[krtea]

Spoiler

I tested positive for Covid yesterday morning and reported on the Government website. I then received a text saying I would be contacted within 24 hours. 25 hours later a Triage Nurse rang me and after discussing my treatment & medication said she would put me forward as most probably being eligible for the anti-viral medication. About 5 hours later a local health trust doctor rang me to discuss my treatment, medication & Covid symptoms and said she would prescribe me the anti-viral medication. The hospital pharmacy then rang me to advise how to take them etc and my Covid negative husband has just gone to collect them. So about 32 hours from start to finish. Hopefully, the process will work as well for anyone else needing them.

[Jill1998]

Good you’ve got it sorted . Hope you are not too badly affected by Covid 🤞🤞

[JoanneN]

Hi 

Yes thank you - I had to wait 9 hours for the second call but NHS111 were very helpful and gave me far more information ( and more accurate and realistic information ) than the woman who was supposedly part of the service did on Sunday . It's a new service and there are obviously some communication issues and misunderstandings around it. The Nurse from NHS111 said that on the whole GP Surgeries don't understand it at present .

I've been called today by a Pharmacist at a Hospital in my region and they are sending something by post.

[Jill1998]

I hope you have managed to get this sorted out . Can be very frustrating trying to navigate your way through the NHS systems sometimes .

[JoanneN]

Hi everyone. I received an email from Gov.uk a few weeks ago to say that if I contracted Covid I might be eligible for free anti - virals . There was a code to input in event of me catching Covid . When I tested positive on Saturday I did this and had a message back to say someone would be in touch in 24 hours. Someone rang yesterday and after I explained that I had hypertension and asthma and that I had undergone both  breast surgery and radiotherapy within the last 6 months she said that yes I would be eligible and a Consultant would call me. Since then - nothing. I rang my surgery this morning who told me I would probably need a PCR test and I should ring 119. 119 were sympathetic but said I didn't need a PCR test and they could not refer me for treatment and to ring my Surgery my Specialist or 111 . I called 111 who were nice said it's a new procedure but I still have to jump through the hoops and I'm waiting for a call back from a Paramedic which I have to go through before I can speak to a Dr. I'm very frustrated now - if I wasn't entitled to the treatment I'd get on with it like everyone else but there's that niggle in my mind that says I should have the treatment if I can as I need to make sure I'm not stuck feeling fatigued as I was after radiotherapy.

 Has anyone else any experience of this process / been offered treatment and been unable to get it or had difficulty getting it ? Or been able to get it easily.