Out for delivery

[Dave2002]

Let's hope this delivery thread doesn't get pulled like the last one, accidental or otherwise.

I wasn't going to post - or start another one in a hurry, but just looked at my Amazon orders. Most of the stuff was scheduled for 19th April - but now it appears that some is either out for delivery, or scheduled for tomorrow. Exciting times!

Some of the stuff won't work without other bits - for example a camera lens without the camera - but of the rest there might now be enough to keep me busy with other things for a few days.

Some deliveries are a bit more problematic - for example Calor gas for our range cooker. Not urgent, but will have to be ordered soon-ish. I know little about this. Last time we had a couple of 19kg bottles the delivery man swapped them over. This time I've had trouble trying to find suppliers, and the ones I've spoken to won't change the cylinders over. "We can't do it in case anything goes wrong." So - if it's so hazardous, why do I have to do it? Is it safe to swap the cylinders over, or should I wait until I can get a delivery supplier who will disconnect and reconnect new cylinders - which are the 19kg red ones? Calor gas do not seem a very clued up organisation, with dubious chains of supply and delivery.

[ardcarp]

I'm just wondering if non-essential deliveries might be stopped soon? I've ordered print-cartridges and a phone-charging lead online, and they've arrived in a couple of days. I could survive without them. I notice on our very quiet roads and lanes here in the SW that the 3-letter vans (dhl, tnt, dpd, ups) are still plying their trade along with Tesco and Waitrose.

[cat]

I'm not sure how they determine what is non-essential. I ordered a widget to fix my central heating the other day, but to non-plumbers its purpose wouldn't be immediately obvious. It certainly was essential as it meant we didn't have to self-isolate in the cold and a call-out would have been risky.

[DracoM]

Sainsbury up here seem deaf dumb and blind. VERY exasperating. I tick a lot of boxes they need to hear about, but...............no reply, no contact.

[Dave2002]

Sainsbury up here seem deaf dumb and blind. VERY exasperating. I tick a lot of boxes they need to hear about, but...............no reply, no contact.

Can you contact your MP? This seems to have been dragging on a bit, and from what you have told us so far, you would appear to have a significant need and should be prioritised over some others. Are there any of the “local heroes” we keep hearing about who could help?

Best wishes. Dave.

[DracoM]

Yes, and MP has been great, but.............answer came there none from relevant supermarket.
I'll cope. No fear.
VERY kind of you to take notice!!

[DracoM]

OK, well, here we go, time for calling them out:

Sainsbury's is telling us to phone 0800 953 4988 for help.
I have done [B]24 times, engaged signal, and TODAY it is saying' this number is accepting no more calls...etc etc..'

Thanks a lot. I do not drive, I am self-isolating, I live in rural NW - I am of the vulnerable age group with 'conditions'.
How many boxes does that tick?
How many times have I seen Sainsbury delivery vans passing my door in the last three days? FOUR times.


Pah!

[ardcarp]

Asda is the best, I'm told. Is there one in a 30 mile radius?

[Frances_iom]

Is anyone else having delivery problems with Currys/PC World - my washing machine failed some days ago, a new one booked to be delivered yesterday Monday - ok on their computer + phone re delivery time etc on Sunday evening + Monday morning but no show + no contact - now can't get through on phone + computer claims not to know of my order

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Let's hope this delivery thread doesn't get pulled like the last one, accidental or otherwise.

[oddoneout]

Is anyone else having delivery problems with Currys/PC World - my washing machine failed some days ago, a new one booked to be delivered yesterday Monday - ok on their computer + phone re delivery time etc on Sunday evening + Monday morning but no show + no contact - now can't get through on phone + computer claims not to know of my order

All companies are likely to be having difficulties dealing with a combination of excessive demand and unpredictable staffing levels. Where those factors are added to a company that does not have the best reputation for customer service then I'm afraid things are going to be difficult.
Heard from a family member in the wilds of Scotland. Only one company delivers there, attempts to place an order and book a slot hampered by the site crashing multiple times. In the wee small hours a click and collect slot becomes available which is accepted. So now a wait until mid April to make a 100 mile round trip to collect...Let's hope the order is complete.

[Quarky]

Is anyone else having delivery problems with Currys/PC World - my washing machine failed some days ago, a new one booked to be delivered yesterday Monday - ok on their computer + phone re delivery time etc on Sunday evening + Monday morning but no show + no contact - now can't get through on phone + computer claims not to know of my order

That's awful - I guess no one is manning the helplines. Ordered a freezer about 3 weeks ago - it did arrive as promised, but I had to pay a hefty delivery charge.

Re. Grocery deliveries - a local youth club in our area is trying very hard to help. I was put into contact with them by our local borough councillor. There is also a neighbourhood volunteer group in our Parish, and of course Age UK.

Any of these functioning in rural NW?

[Dave2002]

Repeat prescriptions ....

I have a (hopefully) not life essential repeat prescription. I tried to get it set up remotely - but the usual password+username rubbish. I thought that was going to present barriers - but in the end it didn't - keep reading.

I did manage to resuscitate the service - which may be standard throughout the UK - patient-services.co.uk and get sorted partly - but then it seemed that the website for the local surgery has also gone down today - it was working yesterday, as were the phone lines. Today couldn't get through on the phone.

So the repeat prescription via internet didn't work because of failures elsewhere.

In the end I rang the pharmacy (about 8 miles away) where the prescriptions normally go, and talked to someone who said she thought they could let the surgery know, and get the prescription organised.

When I asked about delivery "We don't do that ....". You have to collect it. We only let two people in to collect at a time.

This is crazy. We have been explicitly (though not personally) asked not to go out, and specifically warned not to go to medical practices or pharmacies in the local area.

I think it is fixable, but there is now a wait list for pharmacies to provide delivery services. I have put my name down on the list.

Trying to get all this joined up ..... A certain absence of joined up thinking - though in fairness, these are quite stressed times.

One major concern is that in a few months time, around 80% of the population may have given up worrying, which is exactly the sort of thing BJ and his teams have suggested, and will then go out and re-ignite the problem all over again.

[oddoneout]

I have a (hopefully) not life essential repeat prescription. I tried to get it set up remotely - but the usual password+username rubbish. I thought that was going to present barriers - but in the end it didn't - keep reading.

I did manage to resuscitate the service - which may be standard throughout the UK - patient-services.co.uk and get sorted partly - but then it seemed that the website for the local surgery has also gone down today - it was working yesterday, as were the phone lines. Today couldn't get through on the phone.

So the repeat prescription via internet didn't work because of failures elsewhere.

In the end I rang the pharmacy (about 8 miles away) where the prescriptions normally go, and talked to someone who said she thought they could let the surgery know, and get the prescription organised.

When I asked about delivery "We don't do that ....". You have to collect it. We only let two people in to collect at a time.

This is crazy. We have been explicitly (though not personally) asked not to go out, and specifically warned not to go to medical practices or pharmacies in the local area.

I think it is fixable, but there is now a wait list for pharmacies to provide delivery services. I have put my name down on the list.

Trying to get all this joined up ..... A certain absence of joined up thinking - though in fairness, these are quite stressed times.

One major concern is that in a few months time, around 80% of the population may have given up worrying, which is exactly the sort of thing BJ and his teams have suggested, and will then go out and re-ignite the problem all over again.

Round here the pharmacy delivery drivers seem to be 'of mature years' - it's probably a good part-time job for an active pensioner, so even if a service is normally available I imagine there could be difficulties now with having enough drivers. One of the pharmacies seems to use Royal Mail for delivery so that might be working better.

[teamsaint]

A local plant nursery from near Winchester has temporarily lost all of its customers. Today , out of the blue, they came round the village and left a large tray with half a dozen lovely plants in. There was a note asking for us to use or share, and offered the chance to give a contribution online if we would like to. Great initiative in bad times, so we were happy to take them and send them what we felt was a fair contribution.
I emailed them, and they replied saying that they had been overwhelmed by the response.

https://www.kirtonfarm.co.uk/plants-for-people