NHS Charging for Vaccines which are free!

feelingblue

I have just returned from my NHS Dr's surgery in shock. My children have a wonderful opportunity to visit Thailand with their dad staying with very rich friends in a fantastic villa! I am so pleased for them. Their cousins have been before and had jabs for diptheria, tetanus and hep A from their local practice at no cost.

I checked on NHS website - all of these are offered free of charge on the NHS. I just visited my surgery to enquire as they are leaving in 6 weeks and was given a form and asked for a £30 consultation fee each although it was clearly stated on the form that there is no charge for the vaccines. I explained I do not need a consultation to be told that it is 'company policy' that they will not issue vaccines unless you have had a 'risk assessment' i.e consultation. 'Company policy?' I queried - is this not an NHS surgery. 'Yes, but we are being managed by a private firm and this is their policy'.

I asked exactly what the fee pays for and the nurse was called and said she puts info into computer and tells her what vaccines are advised. Anyone with access to the web and a bit of common sense can do this!!

Don't get me wrong, the receptionists and nurse do not agree with this policy and said I was quite within my rights to find another surgery who will accept the children as a temporary patient. However, surely no other surgery in their right mind would use their budget for someone else? Also, I need to get this sorted quite quickly as they are leaving in 6 weeks.

I am horrified!! Is this how Cameron wants all our surgery's to be run? It seems to me we are being held to ransom. Yes, we can give you drugs to save your life but we need to check on our computer and that will cost you a consultation fee!!!

What do others think? Am I being unreasonable? I have never known this before unless you seek private medical help OR require lesser available vaccines. As I said, on NHS website it clearly states which vaccines are free and which are not and the ones my children need are free!:mad:

shaun_from_Africa

I know that a lot of people will disagree with me, but it's always been my opinion that any vacinations required for travel outside of the UK should be paid for and not given for free on the NHS.

Innoculations that are given to keep you healthy and those given in the event of outbreaks in the UK (things such as tetanus, influenza for those at risk, etc) should always be provided free, but jabs for holidays and overseas work should be paid for.
I think this is eve more of an issue now that there seems to be so little money to spend on frontline NHS treatment.

I work outside of the UK and have to get many innoculations done each year, and I always get these done privately even though I could probably get a fair few of them from my local NHS surgery.

feelingblue

I understand your views, Shaun, but the vaccinations that I am talking about are given for health reasons in THIS country. The government have chosen to provide these free on the NHS to prevent certain diseases i.e diptheria, tetanus, hep A becoming a problem.

I would have to pay a consultation fee for a 'booster' (I believe they are initially given as a baby).

I would not expect the NHS to pay for 'holidays' under any circumstances. I have since done a little more research and the guidelines are quite clear. The vaccines my children need are free and travel advice is good practice and should not be charged for i.e bite avoidance techniques (mossies not kids!!), hygiene, bottled water etc. In fact, it is the people that probably cannot access this advice who need it most and can probably least afford it.

I know someone will come back and say if you can afford a holiday then you can afford the vaccine but the costs stack up. Holiday companies hike up their prices out of term time. I just think its wrong to pay for a consultation to be told that you need x y and z which will cost x amount. If a person is 'enquiring' they may decide not to go to a certain destination, not have vaccines but charged for the priveledge.

jhe

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

I know that a lot of people will disagree with me, but it's always been my opinion that any vacinations required for travel outside of the UK should be paid for and not given for free on the NHS.

Innoculations that are given to keep you healthy and those given in the event of outbreaks in the UK (things such as tetanus, influenza for those at risk, etc) should always be provided free, but jabs for holidays and overseas work should be paid for.
I think this is eve more of an issue now that there seems to be so little money to spend on frontline NHS treatment.

I work outside of the UK and have to get many innoculations done each year, and I always get these done privately even though I could probably get a fair few of them from my local NHS surgery.

i understand what you are saying, but if vaccs are not given and the people travelling abroad pick up an infection/disease, when they return to uk it would cost the nhs a whole lot more money to care for them

Nara

I have to pay for a Hep B jab which I need to work in THIS country, so stupid!! It not only protects me but every other person the UK I would come into contact with if I caught the diesease. I think the NHS should pay, otherwise surely people will go abroad to these countries catch the illnesses and then return here spreading them around? Causing more people to need treatment therefore meaning more money is spent by the NHS treating them?

LittleVoice

feelingblue wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, the receptionists and nurse do not agree with this policy and said I was quite within my rights to find another surgery who will accept the children as a temporary patient. However, surely no other surgery in their right mind would use their budget for someone else? Also, I need to get this sorted quite quickly as they are leaving in 6 weeks.

Why not register with a different practice "permanently"? They may even gain an additional payment in their contract for administering the vaccines.

Almost all GPs are private contractors under the NHS brand but some practices are run by companies rather than partnerships and pay salaried GPs.

dmg24

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

I know that a lot of people will disagree with me, but it's always been my opinion that any vacinations required for travel outside of the UK should be paid for and not given for free on the NHS.

Innoculations that are given to keep you healthy and those given in the event of outbreaks in the UK (things such as tetanus, influenza for those at risk, etc) should always be provided free, but jabs for holidays and overseas work should be paid for.
I think this is eve more of an issue now that there seems to be so little money to spend on frontline NHS treatment.

I work outside of the UK and have to get many innoculations done each year, and I always get these done privately even though I could probably get a fair few of them from my local NHS surgery.

I wholly agree with you - and the argument that it might prevent costs if the person falls ill later is nonsense, if anyone is stupid enough to travel without the vaccinations then they should be billed for their treatment upon return also.

jhe

dmg24 wrote: »

I wholly agree with you - and the argument that it might prevent costs if the person falls ill later is nonsense, if anyone is stupid enough to travel without the vaccinations then they should be billed for their treatment upon return also.

not exactly nonsense, as said before infected person can also spread disease in this country before they develop symptoms.

dmg24

jhe wrote: »

not exactly nonsense, as said before infected person can also spread disease in this country before they develop symptoms.

OK, so if not nonsense, protecting the rest of society from idiots? There is no other word for someone that would be so irresponsible.

I'm not referring to the OP by the way, I assume they would not be that stupid.

jhe

dmg24 wrote: »

OK, so if not nonsense, protecting the rest of society from idiots? There is no other word for someone that would be so irresponsible.

I'm not referring to the OP by the way, I assume they would not be that stupid.

i agree, if vaccs required or advised for a destination of travel, vacc certificates should have to be shown before travel.

feelingblue

Absolutely would not send my kids off without the best protection available! But I believe that, let's say (as has happened to older child who is not travelling) if you have an accident breaking the skin the tetanus booster is given as a matter of course if you haven't had one for 10 years (i think) - without consultation fee!!!!

I have calmed down a little but I was shocked! And still believe I am right (no arrogance intended) that consultation in this instance isn't required. Spoke to my sis-in-law who's kids have been already to visit my ex-husbands friends definately did not pay for these injections and she lives five miles up the road. It's just the principal that I object to and would pay the fee's if necessary to enable my kids to have this once of a lifetime opportunity - it's something I could never afford to offer them! In fact, our camping holidays will pale into insignificance after this trip methinks!!!!

When 'researching' though I did come across people who went to other destinations and didn't have vacs either for lack of funds or time. This, as already suggested, could be extremely dangerous and though I would possibly risk it myself if there was lack of time
(unwisely, I know) as I am a healthy adult I certainly wouldn't risk it for the kids. Unfortunately, a damp few days under canvas is probably the best I can look forward to (puts on sad, feel sorry for me face lol) and a good old fashioned English runny nose is the worst I can expect!! Now, there's a vaccine worth some money.........

Good rounded discussion though - thanks peeps!