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Original poster

Scan pictures - costs

80 replies

Crumbles12 · 21/01/2016 08:41

Have just had the date through for my dating scan and the letter says they will charge £5 per picture printed. Is this quite standard now? When we had printed pictures with DS 4 years ago they printed 4 pictures per scan and just asked for a donation, so found £5 per picture a bit steep!

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FatimaLovesBread · 21/01/2016 09:51

At ours they ask you how many you want during the scan. Then you go to the waiting room to purchase a token and wait while the sonographer sorts outs your notes and growth chart and prints out the pictures

lovefairylights · 21/01/2016 09:58

I had mine yesterday and the ticket machine clearly spells out to not purchase before the scan. Then the sonographer asks you how many you want after the medical bit of the scan. There's some time while she writes up the notes for you to buy appropriate number of tickets.
I think it's fair to pay for normal scan pics - ours is £3 per pic. Baby wasn't very cooperative so the pics were rubbish but I asked for 1 as a memento anyway. She actually gave me 2 as neither were very good and I was quite worried during the appointment.

Artioo2 · 21/01/2016 10:37

Our hospital instructs you to buy the token in advance, but for similar reasons to Monten we just couldn't bring ourselves to do this. We explained to the sonographer and she gave us pics anyway. We offered to pay afterwards but they said not to worry. They are usually very understanding about this kind of thing. I'd never try to cheat the system deliberately though. The pics are a luxury, not part of the service.

CaptainKit · 21/01/2016 11:12

My scans were 1 for £5 or 3 for £10. You had to pay at a machine in the waiting room and then take the little receipt in to the scan and present it to the sonographer. At my 20 week scan the sonographer gave me 4 or 5 pictures because baby wasn't feeling particularly photogenic.

Littleelffriend · 21/01/2016 11:13

We got loads for free, they don't charge at all where we live

DinoSnores · 21/01/2016 11:29

I think jellybelly's behaviour is pretty poor. Out of all the places to take advantage, the cash strapped NHS?! A lot of the money goes into the hospital fund to buy new scanners etc for the department.

I have had free pictures because my baby was very poorly and then later died, but I don't object to paying. The scan is a medical scan to check that your baby is alive and healthy, not a fun day for pictures.

During my most recent pregnancy, you have your scan, the sonographer having asked you if you'd like pictures, and then you go and buy the token while the sonographer does the report. The report and photos are handed to the receptionist, you hand over the token and book the next scan, then get your notes and photos back.

CarrotPuff · 21/01/2016 11:38

DC1 it was £2 per pic I think, this time (different trust) they said £3 but it turned out you get 3 different pics for that price. I got anomaly scan ones for free though as baby was in awkward position and the pics were dreadful.

Elledouble · 21/01/2016 11:44

We paid £5 each time (at Birmingham Women's Hospital). At the 12-week scan we paid afterwards, and actually ended up getting two cos the sonographer didn't think the first had worked. At the 20-week scan we bought a token at the machine, you probably could have got away without paying but why would you?

frikadela01 · 21/01/2016 11:47

Ours are supposed be to be £5 however when I went for 12 week scan me and DP had come straight from work and still had our NHS badges on and the sonographer just gave us a little wink and didn't charge us.

crumblybiscuits · 21/01/2016 11:47

On the mention of BWU I have had most of my scans done at their fetal medicine centre which might be why I got so many free even in this healthy pregnancy. At my normal hospital I pay, but FMU have always just handed us a couple at the end.

Jenjen86 · 21/01/2016 11:58

It seems to vary based on the hospital, I am in wakefield and they charged me £5 but put 4 in the little.cardboard holder thing at both scans so I assumed this was the norm until I read this

OwlinaTree · 21/01/2016 12:40

It's £5 here. £3 in my first pg and they were very strict about it. 2nd pg sometimes they gave a couple of extras, ie we paid for 3 and got 5 at the 12 week scan. I had extra scans in the 2nd pg, at these they just printed one and told me to put it in my bag! You don't really get such good pics when the baby is bigger tbh.

possum18 · 21/01/2016 12:43

At the start of this pregnancy our hospital was £5 for 5/6 pictures, they've recently made it £5 for 2 or £10 for 5! A few times when they haven't been great shots we have had the sonography lady give them to us slyly and free but we have scans every few weeks so got to know her!

BumpAndGrind · 21/01/2016 13:16

They give for free at the 12 week scan and charge £5 at the 20 week one here (Wrexham). Standard seems to be 3 pictures.

They don't charge if there is a problem, as I found out with DD.

Graciescotland · 21/01/2016 13:49

Ours is 2 pounds a picture. Randomly they don't charge for twins/ multiples though. Although with fortnightly scans at some point you'd probably start declining.

Kirjava · 21/01/2016 13:54

3 pictures for £10, or 1 for £5. I had to have an early scan at the EPU in the same hospital - pictures were donation only (£2 suggested). I gave £5. I have no problem paying for pictures - the NHS isn't there to provide us photos. Smile

harboromummy · 21/01/2016 14:11

£10 for one photo at Coventry

Original poster
Crumbles12 · 21/01/2016 14:31

The scan is a medical scan to check that your baby is alive and healthy, not a fun day for pictures.

A little patronising, Obviously it is not just about pictures, having myself had a previous loss, but the pictures are an amazing keepsake and I was just wondering what other places charged as I was suprised it now cost this amount when last time it was a donation in a box in the room and just wondered if this was the case across the country or just this hospital.

OP posts:
YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut · 21/01/2016 15:32

When I had my 12 week scan they just gave me them. I'd probably prefer it if there was a way for them to send it electronically and save the money on special printers and paper and ink: all I ended up doing was taking a photo of the photo on my phone and emailing it to relatives who wanted to see it!

SparklyTinselTits · 21/01/2016 15:35

At my hospital they were £3 per picture. You have to put 3 x £1 coins in a machine which gives you a token that you have to give to the reception desk and then they print your photos.

Pain in the arse trying to find 6 £1 coins before we went to the hospital Hmm

seven201 · 21/01/2016 16:06

"I think "playing dumb" to get a freebie is quite bad if I'm honest." I agree , totally not on.

They're free at my hospital, not even a donation pot. I wouldn't mind paying at all.

seven201 · 21/01/2016 16:06

"I think "playing dumb" to get a freebie is quite bad if I'm honest." I agree , totally not on.

They're free at my hospital, not even a donation pot. I wouldn't mind paying at all.

Whatdoidohelp · 21/01/2016 16:09

Of course it doesn't cost a fiver or a rennet to print a picture. If you don't want to pay that you don't have to have a photo. I think it's a brilliant idea, the money is reinvested into our much needed hospitals. If you can't afford it you shouldn't be having babies. I actually think he cost should be higher.

DrunkenUnicorn · 21/01/2016 19:36

Ours are £5 per pic which I'm honest is a wee bit steep as my 12w ones were really poor. I wouldn't object at all if I knew that the monies were going somewhere worthy, eg as someone suggested towards a related charity.

I understand entirely charging as they have to pay for ink, printers, paper etc. What I am Hmm at is the fact that you are not allowed to photograph the screen on your phone...

I have my 20w scan tomorrow. I'll buy one pic as a keepsake but hope it's better than the last one.

LouLou030783 · 21/01/2016 19:52

I can't believe you need to pay for them...are u all in England???

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