Nhs Scan Charges

[HighlandMam1]

Hi everyone!

I'm just being rather nosey and wondering where you're all based and whether or not you have to pay for your NHS ultrasound pictures?

I live in highland and received a letter along side my scan date informing me there is a charge of £5 for one scan picture or £10 for 3 pictures! Just curious if all areas charge for pictures? I'm quite surprised the charges haven't been scrapped at present seen as partners/support aren't able to attend due to restrictions!

@BruceWilllis I wasn't moaning in my post. I was simply curious as to whether there is a variation across the country regarding charges! I was also interested in whether this was to do with local area funding. I personally accept there is a charge as i do see the printing as an additional service. Perhaps you might be well informed as to why it various for cost? Is it down to local funding or varying equipment and costs to produce the images?

I was in Oxford and it was £10 per single photo.

£5 per picture here (Lancashire) they give you a ticket and you have to go the machine and enter the ticket with your money, so there’s no chance of not paying for it like pp have said.

Iirc they were free with my first, 2 for £5 with my second (different trust) and £5 each with my third.

The free ones were by far the best and the only scan pics I have that actually look recognisably like a human foetus!

£5 for 3-but-you-usually-get-4 in Kingston. I’m 34 weeks now and my husband keeps reminding me how he’s contributed by paying for both sets at 12 and 20 weeks 🤨

I'm quite surprised the charges haven't been scrapped at present seen as partners/support aren't able to attend due to restrictions!

Unfortunately the costs for the paper and printing won’t have changed, and they will be viewed as an unnecessary extra. It’s a shame many partners are missing out on scans at the moment but right now isn’t a time for the NHS to be giving anything away that costs it money.

I’ve found it varies upon trust and also the person doing the scans as to how much they charge (sometimes I’ve been told the pictures are really poor, so there isn’t any charge).

Ours are £5, but actually we still have the original paid note as the ladies have given us free ones so far.

My hospital is in Islington north London I've had to pay £5 for my 20 week scan which I don't feel is bad, my friend who currently under Barnet hospital they no longer print out a scan picture, so I'm happy paying £5 for it

£5 each time with dd, but with ds payment wasn't mentioned when I had my 12 week scan but when I had the 20 week the sonographer said as she couldn't get a clear picture not to worry about paying. Same trust 2 different hospitals but only because they combined the 2 we have here. East Midlands.

I had weekly scans from 16 weeks in my recent pregnancy and was given 2 and 3d scan pictures at each appt with no fee. I didn’t ask, they were just printed by the consultant each time.

With my current pregnancy and last pregnancy (in 2018) they had the same charges in place, even though this time I didnt have to pay as my partner couldnt come to the scan. But with my oldest and second child (in 2012 and 2016) it was just a small donation for scan pictures. I dont mind the charges as you have to pay £60+ to go for a private scan. This is in nottingham btw

£4 for a pic from a ‘normal’ scan but free from the extra growth/problem scans I had. Think they took pity on me.

Wales here - had a free pic as DH couldn't be there. I think under normal circumstances you have to pay.

I'm in the North East of England and still getting standard letters detailing charges and bringing 1 person with you.
Obviously, things are different at the moment so the letter is incorrect.
I've had 2 scans during lockdown and the charges for pictures were waived both times.

I'm in Hampshire and they would normally charge for pictures but they gave me 5 for free at the scan due to partners not being allowed in

We don't HAVE to pay for them but they give you an envelope and ask if you mind making a donation to the hospital charity, (£5 for 12 weeks and £10 for 20 week) I donated but I do work at the hospital and can see that donations actually go to the staff which is nice and not always so common x

At my 12 week scan it was £8 for 2 or £16 for 4 (although they gave us 6 which was kind).

At my 20 week scan because by this time no partners were allowed in and it was only the expectant mother's going in they didn't charge and gave me 8 pictures

£5 per photo here. Gave me one for free though. I was shown the pay booth after the scan, and luckily it accepted cash! but no one asked to see proof when they gave me the photos. No car park charges at present.

£10 for 3 here in Warwickshire but they often give you more. Due to Covid they are free currently as no partners but I did go and donate £10 to the friends of my local hospital charity instead.

Personally more than fair that it is charged and I will happily pay - think of it this way give every expectant mother free photos or save someone’s life. To me there is no choice.

Ours are all free at the moment due to coronavirus.

2 different hospitals in West Yorkshire and neither time I've paid for my scan pics. The appointment letters had the charge on but when I got there they waived it because my partner couldn't attend

I was supposed to pay for both scans but the payment machine was broken at my 12 week scan and the pictures were so rubbish at my 20 week scan were so rubbish they said not to pay!
I also had to have a load of extra scans with a consultant and there was never any mention of paying for them either. I must have pictures from around 7 different scans and I didn’t actually get a picture at every scan so I must have had loads

I’ve never paid for a scan photo or for parking at Forth Valley.
xx

£5 a pic two years ago and you had to say how many pics you wanted, pay at a machine which gave you a ticket and you then handed the ticket in at reception and got the scan picture