NHS Charging for Vaccines which are free!

soolin

I have paid for some in the past and have also paid for malaria tablets . One GP used to give me a prescription for the vaccines and I would pay the full prescription charge.

I currently have regular B12 injections which I do not pay for, however other people with my medical condition have to pay the prescription charge for each one

peachyprice

feelingblue wrote: »

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.

Can I just aske, why are giving them diptheria and tetanus again? They should be covered under the normal childhood vaccination programme.

The only optional one is is hep A, which they may or may not do as standard in your area. If they don't then wjy should it be free.

As you want vaccines that you've already had done for free and are still covered by, I think it's reasonable to charge you.

shaun_from_Africa

One of mine friend recently pay for Rabies around £200. Is there any cheaper Rabies available.

That's about the going rate. My last course of rabies jabs was £205 and I was quoted a similar price by a couple of different clinics.

Tony_

Here is the page on the NHS stance on vaccines:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Travel-immunisation/Pages/Getting-travel-vaccinations.aspx

fluffnutter

Just wait until Dave and his sidekick privatise the NHS. Paying for inoculations will be the least of your worries! :rotfl:

Arg

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.

It's bad enough GPs get paid what they do without them trying to scam more money out of the public.

ukjoel

This isnt part of the GPs agreement with the Trusts hence the charge.

Other things that they love getting in as they can charge you for are.

Passport picture signatures - £20 per person - so a family of 5 will set you back £100 for a minutes signing.

Solicitors requests for notes - GPs are restricted to charging a max of £50 for these but since its all electronic these days £50 is a nice result for the cost of paper, ink, and a minimum wage receptionist to press - patient notes - print - and post them off. Of course if patient returns for another check and an update is required - its another payment - soft tissue injuries - GP's love them.

Medical certificates - Cancelling a holiday, thinking of taking one, trying a new sport etc - pop along to get the form - prices may vary.

alicienw

Re the question with Rabies - I had this jab about 4 years ago - the doctor gave me a private prescription and I went out and bought the vaccine myself - was about £90 - the nurse in my local surgery then gave me the jab for no charge.

It's also worth if you are getting malaria tablets to ring round various chemists as there can be a big difference in prices - for doxycyclone or malarone which you need for Thailand you will need a private script as well.

bluejake

It's the thin end of a wedge. The NHS should be a full health service which we pay for through taxation and a person's ability to pay shouldn't come into it. However, treatment is never "free" - we pay for it through taxation.

Look at what's happened in dentistry. More and more it is about cross selling. That treatment will cost £800 and failing to mention it is available on the NHS. Or the NHS budget has been used up so I can only do this teatment if you pay privately. If this government gets it's way this is the way Doctor's surgeries are going to go as well. I am not optimistic for the future. Don't be poor or even on an average wage. Things are getting worse and worse unless you're rich. They're just getting richer.

And I wonder on the wisdom of charging for vaccines when many people will just go without either by choice or by lack of money. The cost of treating an outbreak of disease is surely greater than the cost of vaccines. And just to I add I have been to Thailand and the far east many times and never even thought about vaccines.

free_korps

also going to thailand soon so been along to nhs surgery & also travel clinic (local chemist) as i knew i'd have to pay for rabies. filled out a form with my travel plans then nhs surgery reception phoned up about a week later to say go to travel clinic as they can't help - i queried whether i could get at least the Hep jabs as i haven't had either, the receptionist pointed out she was only passing on a message - i replied okay i won't ask any more questions thank you bye. the nurse phoned up a few minutes later saying that they are only allocated a certain time per week to deal with such travel issues but agreed to give me the Hep jabs. Since meeting with the nurse for first jabs I've been signed up for more, she's really good!
anyway the reason i posted was just to stress the importance of starting injections asap as some take 21 days to administer over 3 visits.etc. i also feel like i have to come back within a year of my travels(going to cambodia & australia too) to get my final booster jab!