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Original poster

Swine flu jab - feel exploited

12 replies

dibbydobby · 21/01/2011 13:20

After excessive worrying went to get my two children vaccinated privately against swine flu - was already feeling exploited at the cost of the consultation fee of £180 I was paying per child on top of the cost of the actual jab, but rationalised that it was important and that we could make other financial sacrifices. Anyway, was astounded to find out AFTER it had been done, that both children require ANOTHER jab in four weeks time for it to be effective and that it was only going to be effective until around october!!!!! So,for a grand total of £760 my children will be "safe" for the next 9 months or so, before I will have to pay for yet another round of jabs to see them through next winter.....not sure if we can actually afford the next round of jabs next month anyway, so looks like it has been a huge waste of money for no peace of mind.

Is it just me, or does this feel like exploitation?

OP posts:

Bucharest · 21/01/2011 13:22

Sorry, but nobody forced you, did they??

chickadeedee · 21/01/2011 13:27

where did you get them done? I have NEVER heard of it costing so much.

but

you didnt HAVE to do it.

bruxeur · 21/01/2011 13:33

Spectacular lack of reading/listening, there, OP.

Elk · 21/01/2011 13:35

I have never heard of 2 jabs being required, mine was only one and didn't just cover for swine flu.

However it was your choice and there are limited supplies so they can charge what they like.

I just hope that nobody that needs it medically will miss out.

BCBG · 21/01/2011 13:39

My GP did DC4 this week ( has had pneumonia so deemed at risk) and that was a single jab. suspect you are being ripped off tbh.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 21/01/2011 13:43

My GP did DS the other day, was just a single jab.

SlightlyTubbyHali · 21/01/2011 13:52

The celvapan jab was 2 doses. Since you've gone private perhaps they have given your jabs from left over stocks from last year.

Incidentally, once you have immunity to something I don't think it would necessarily wear off 9 months later. Might they have been saying is that the jab you've had may not protect against next year's seasonal flu (i.e. if it is not H1N1 or if it mutates)?

You might find, in future, that a private GP is cheaper. Their appointments are usually around the £40 mark (in London), if you can get one. Going private is expensive though, and if it is the solution to excessive worrying, perhaps some might consider it worth the price (not me though, tbh).

Sirzy · 21/01/2011 13:58

Under 13s are supposed to have two doses.

Sounds like the dr in question has realised parents are panicking m(unnecessarily) and cashing in.

Original poster

dibbydobby · 21/01/2011 14:10

Sirzy - that's exactly my point....it just felt like the doctor was trying to make as much money as possible from parents who are worrying which felt wrong (especially since they didn't tell me about the need for the second jab when I made the appointment)....I'm not usually so paranoid but a close friend lost her six year old child this christmas and it affected me badly so I have been a little bit overprotective as a result.

BTW, if you are an adult you can get it for £20 from the clinic up the road from my house (which kind of makes a mockery of the whole "vaccine shortage" issue).

OP posts:

Sirzy · 21/01/2011 14:24

The other argument is that you should have made sure you knew before you agreed how much much it would cost.

And surely the private availablilty is contributing to the lack of nhs availability is only a certain amount of vaccines were made

Original poster

dibbydobby · 21/01/2011 14:41

Exactly Sirzy - and that is why the doctor's secretary has just called me back to apologize for not giving me this information. They are going to do the second lot of vaccinations for free so I feel a lot better about the whole thing (as I would never be stupid enough to book something without finding out the cost!)

The shortage has been caused by the NHS not ordering enough vaccine (due to poor uptake last year) and the "worried well" paying for it at supermarkets, clinics etc (as they have been able to do for many many years at a very small price)... Small children are the ones that are missing out as they can't get it at the supermarket/drop in clinic and the GPs won't give it to them either as they have limited supplies.

OP posts:

timetomove · 21/01/2011 14:43

re 2 jabs, I had mine done recently through a vaccination programme at work. I did enquire how I would go about getting prviate jabs for my DCs. I was told that for children up to 5, 2 jabs were required. DD is just turned 6, and the nurse was not sure if they would make DD have 2 jabs. So if your DC are young, that sounds consistent.

Have not got to the stage of actually arranging an appoitment for the DC so can't comment on cost.

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