I need a Hep B jab for my course

phoebe03cat

I'm going to do Podiatry in Sept and the uni has requested I have a Hep B test followed by a blood test to prove I've had it. Rang the doctors and the cost is £90+:eek: . Anyone else had to have this and is it reclaimable anyhow pls?

kittiwoz

Don't know about this particular situation but did you tell the doctor why you needed the jab and did you try asking a few different doctors? Some of them just have standard charges but some of them show more discretion and will charge less to students who need jabs or notes for educational related stuff or people who need them for voluntary work. At least, that used to be the case a few years ago.

kittymary

Normally the Hep B jabs are sorted out by occupational health at the hospital your course is associated with. On my course, visits to occupational health for Hep B jabs are on the timetable, and we weren't expected to have had them already before we started. The course does take 6 months though, so it's a good idea to get started before you begin the course if possible, but if not, call the uni and ask what arrangements they have. I had mine done by my GP for free, but they don't have to do it, and the course costs them a lot of money. It is the university's responsibility to arrange for any jabs needed for occupational health reasons, just like it is their responsibility to ensure you have training in manual handling, infection control etc.

Aubs

When I was at Uni I had my jabs at the surgery at the University. Also, I think if you are gay you are more at risk of contracting Hep B so could be worth saying something along those lines?!

Aubs

Helen_E_3

I started on a nursing course in September and had to have Hep B jabs. My practice nurse gave me my first one and the university medical centre has given me my second and am now just waiting for my third next month, all free. I would ring your university and ask if they will do them as mine did state that if I couldn't get the first one free then I could wait and have it done there.

The university let us go out on our first placement with only our first two jabs completed, so don't worry about waiting for it to be done.

Dumyat

I do them at my practice for the price of a prescription.

try asking at college. if they are insisting on Heb B then they should be able to sort it out for you.
the other option is to try pricing at holiday vaccination clinics. check yellow pages or online. there are some NHS run ones...or some private ones might work out cheaper.

sounds like GP is charging you for a private prescription.

kittiwoz

Aubs wrote:

Also, I think if you are gay you are more at risk of contracting Hep B so could be worth saying something along those lines?!

I'm thinking that Phoebe03cat is a woman so if she were gay she would have an extremely low risk of catching STDs.

floyd

That price quoted sounds like a price from a Travellers Health Clinic, as I had to get Hep A and polio to travel to Brazil and they were £30 a pop. I got my HepB done free through my doctor as it was necessary for my work

DrFluffy

Hmm - this is a tough one. Try the occy health dept of your university to be (although that said I've heard of many occy healt depts now charging!)

A lot of GPs will do it for free if it is for a healthcare course, although if they do it is out of their own pocket, they do not get re-imbursed for it... Did you specifically say that you needed it for a health care degree?

hollydays

Try speaking to someone different at your surgery,eg the practice nurse.This does vary.When i needed it for my job,my surgery did it free,but a colleages surgery wanted to charge him.

3plus1

Go elsewhere.

I needed Hep B jabs because I do first aid, and the nurse at my doctor's did it for free. She asked why I wanted it, I explained, and then she stuck a needle in my arm. :rolleyes:

If you're studying medicine or similar, I don't see why they should charge you.