To wonder why I have to pay for an infection

[ivykaty44]

at my GP's for travel purposes, fine no problem to cover costs etc, but the price is inflated from £32 as and the cost at my sugery is over double the cost of the injection £75 and at my dad's surgery it is £135, opposed to £32 - but if I was a drug taker I would get the injection free.

Lovely medical people come and tell me why??

Pay for an infection? No thanks!

Because they can charge, and people will pay. Nothing more, nothing less.

I would rather pay for the injection that get the disease, there is no question in me actually having the injection

I'm not sure I completely understand, but you are going travelling and need a certain vaccination right? One that a drug user would get for free?

I think surgeries have the right to charge as much as they reasonably want for travel advice and care, presumably because it's not a medical need that should be funded on the NHS. The arguement is probably that a drug addiction is thought to be an illness, and any infection caught through taking drugs would be more expensive to the NHS to treat than prevent.

The surgery where I work has only just started charging recently. It's non-essential and considering how tight things are within the NHS right now the decision was made that if you can afford to go off on a jolly, you can afford to pay for the jab. I have no idea why it costs different amounts at different places though!

You are chosing to go somewhere where you may get an infection for which you are having to have this injection I presume.

You are chosing to go somewhere nice - you are not addicted to drugs and in a really shit place are you - I would think myself lucky.

A drug addict would get it free as he would be costing the NHS shit loads anyway and is more at risk of catching whatever it is you are being immunised againt.

Simple answer is its a private service, so within BMA guidelines, they are allowed to charge what they want. Just like you would pay for services from a solicitor or an accountant. Drug users are covered by the NHS for certain things such as Hepatitis B, because its cheaper to vaccinate them against the disease, than treat it once they have contracted it.

Sucks I know.

It makes me sigh a bit when I read that a drug taker/immigrant/someone on benefits would get something free. They don't have the money to go on holiday so their ability to pay is less.

I will admit to feeling a bit about this as am an immigrant in another country who works with drug users so perhaps a little sensitive.

If it's hep B you're talking about, you have to pay if you get it on its own, but there is a joint hep A & B injection that is free (or it is at my surgery, anyway).

Um I didn't say I was having a jolly holdiay, and havng spoken to a few people today including a pharmacist it doesn't matter whether you have the jab for voluneering in differnet places or are injecting for swine flu in a chemist you have to pay for the jabs

I think that, like any other private service, the best thing you can do is shop around. Other surgeries may or may not offer travel vaccs to non-patients, but there are other companies out there who are competitively priced, such as MASTA, Globetrotters, BMC etc.

I'm really lucky with my gp surgery, they don't charge for any vaccinations. I had to have 4 before I went on my honeymoon and it didn't charge me, they said if they don't have the vaccine (ie for somewhere really exotic) they would send me to a travel clinic where I'd have to pay. It does seem quite unfair that some people have to pay while others get it free.

If you were a drug taker you wouldn't have the cash to go abroad in the first place, true dat.

I think its pretty routine to have to pay for travel vaccinations.

Some risk groups are offered Hep B on the NHS, that includes IV drug users. The reason for offering it to them is different though - it isnt so that they can go away on holiday safely!

Our GP surgery doesn't charge for travel injections, and think it's on a discretionary basis.

NHS pricing is a bit anyway. Had to get a private prescription a few weeks ago from private dentist for antibiotics. Prepared myself for them to be £££ and it was...................

£4.35

I think if you're volunteering somewhere the voluntary agency might meet the cost. I haven't had to pay for lots because working with drug users and street homeless either the health services (UK or abroad) pay or the organisation I worked/volunteered for paid.

Marjee, I don't think it's unfair, necessarily. I didn't mind paying when I chose to go abroad travelling but would object if it was for job related risks. In one case, my choice and in the other, I am saving the NHS money by working with people who might be in NHS beds, prison or hospice otherwise. I look at it the same way that people see cosmetic surgery on the NHS. It might be essential in some cases, maybe not in others.

I think in otherways aren't we fotunate to have such wonderful medicne that allows vaccine agaisnt disease that would otherwise kill, I can remember seeing a brial register where the parnets had buried there daughter on the Monday from small pox, the son ont the wednesday and agian the vicar worte in the side smallpox and then friday another son from agian small po just wirtten SP in the side margin, smallpox now is irradicated

It is a two tier system and at least now cancer patients get free perscription

I work for St John Ambulance and we are expected to have this vaccination at a cost of £100 each, fortunately they have paid for this for both myself and my dd (she is 18 and also with SJA)

Also there is a possibilty that you may need a 4th booster this is at an extra cost of £24.