This guide can help you understand the vaccines offered in the UK and when to have them. It also explains how they work and why they’re safe and important. If you have any questions or concerns regarding vaccinations, please contact us.
Travel Clinic & Holiday Vaccinations
Prior to travelling please allow as much time as possible to arrange your appointment for the Travel Clinic (preferably at least 8 weeks or more), which will be with the Practice Nurse. The Nurse will require to know which countries, and areas within countries, that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.
Non-urgent advice: Please Note
It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible, as a second appointment will be required with the Practice Nurse to actually receive the vaccinations.These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.
Vaccines
Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.
Please note only the undernoted vaccines are available on NHS Prescriptions:-
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Polio
Vaccinations available from the NHS
Healthy Travel Leaflet
You may find the following leaflet helpful when making your travel arrangements.
Advice on Malaria will be given.
Please download and print our useful guide below about Mosquito advice.
Hepatitis immunisation
Immunisation against infectious Hepatitis (Hepatitis A) is available free of charge on the NHS in connection with travel abroad. However Hepatitis B is not routinely available free of charge and therefore you may be charged for this vaccination when requested in connection with travel abroad.
Private Travel Clinics
If you are unable to wait for our next available travel advice appointment, as advised by the reception staff, then you can attend any Private Travel Clinic (you can obtain these numbers in the Yellow Pages see link below i.e. type in “travel clinic” then “your area”, to display a list of clinics) charges will apply at these clinics.
Excess quantities of regular repeat prescriptions
Under NHS legislation, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for people when they leave the United Kingdom. However, to ensure good patient care the following guidance is offered. People travelling to Europe should be advised to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card.
Medication required for a pre-existing condition should be provided in sufficient quantity to cover the journey and to allow the patient to obtain medical attention abroad. If the patient is returning within the timescale of their usual prescription, then this should be issued (the maximum duration of a prescription is recommended by the Care Trust to be two months, although it is recognised that prescription quantities are sometimes greater than this). Patients are entitled to carry prescribed medicines, even if originally classed as controlled drugs, for example, morphine sulphate tablets.
For longer visits abroad, the patient should be advised to register with a local doctor for continuing medication (this may need to be paid for by the patient).
General practitioners are not responsible for prescriptions of items required for conditions which may arise while travelling, for example travel sickness or diarrhoea. Patients should be advised to purchase these items from community pharmacies prior to travel.
Useful Links
NHS Overview – Travel Vaccinations
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
International Society of Travel Medicine
Health Advice for the Diabetic
Medical Advice Services for Travellers Abroad
Travel Health Pro
Patient Transport Service
The Patient Transport Service provides ambulances to patients who need support to reach their healthcare appointment, or for their admission to and discharge from hospital, due to their medical/clinical needs.
Non NHS Services
Services which are outwith the NHS Contract
The National Health Service provides most healthcare to the majority of people free of charge, but there are exceptions. GPs are self-employed and are contracted to provide NHS general medical services for their patients.
Sometimes, GPs are asked to provide additional services which fall outside their contract and in these circumstances, they are entitled to make a reasonable charge for providing them.
Your questions answered
Isn’t the NHS supposed to be free?
The National Health Service provides most healthcare to the majority people free of charge, but there are exceptions: for example, medical reports for insurance companies.
Surely the Doctor is being paid anyway?
It is important to understand that GPs are not employed by the NHS, they are self-employed and they have to cover their costs – staff, buildings, heating, lighting, etc – in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work, but for non-NHS work the fee has to cover the Doctor’s costs.
In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving Doctors in a whole range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked to do non-medical work is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to be sure that information provided is true and accurate.
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients are:
- Accident/sickness insurance certificates
- Certain travel vaccinations
- Private medical insurance reports
- Statements of fact relating to general health e.g. for children’s dance classes
- Letters requested by, or on behalf of, the patient
- Holiday cancellation claim forms
- Referral for private care forms
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:
- Medical reports for an insurance company
- Some reports for the DSS/Benefits Agency
- Examinations of occupational health
Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?
Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his or her patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload – the majority work up to 70 hours a week – and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time, so many GPs find they have to take some paperwork home at night and weekends.
I only need the Doctor’s signature – what is the problem?
When a Doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, the Doctor might have to check the patient’s entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the Doctor with the General Medical Council or even the Police.
What can I do to help?
- If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once.
- Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight
Examples of Non-NHS Services include the following:
- Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
- Insurance Claim Forms
- Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
- Private Sick Notes
- Vaccination Certificates
The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and Practice Reception Staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.
NHS Screening
The NHS offers screening, free of charge, to identify pre-existing health problems of which you may not be aware, nor be exhibiting any symptoms. The NHS screening may be as part of a national programme for specific demographic groups or may be opportunistic screening when a patient discusses a related problem with their GP.
Interpreting Service
An interpreting service is available free of charge for patients using GP and NHS Hospital Services in England. This includes interpreting for people who are deaf or deaf/blind.
We do not allow children to act as interpreters during your treatment or appointments.
A member of the Team from the Practice or the Hospital Department dealing with your treatment or appointment will arrange the interpreter. To make sure we can support you effectively we need you to do certain things so please do let us know you need interpreting help as soon as possible. Preferably, this should be as soon as you make an appointment with your GP.
- If you are going into Hospital, contact the Ward or Department to let them know you need an interpreter, as soon as you receive your Hospital appointment. You may need a friend or relative who speaks English to tell us that you need an interpreter, the first time.
- Be sure to let us know if you will not be coming for your appointment or treatment. If you do not tell us you might stop another patient getting the help they need.
- Be sure to tell us if you will be late for your appointment or treatment. Another patient somewhere else might need the interpreter. If you are late the next patient might miss their appointment or not get the help they need.
- Let us know if you have had any problems with communication during your appointment or treatment. This will help us improve the service.
- Tell us if communication was good. This also helps us provide a good service.
Cervical Screening
- Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix, which is the opening to your womb from your vagina.
- It’s not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer.
- All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter.
- During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix.
- The sample is tested for changes to the cells of your cervix.
- Finding abnormal changes early means they can be monitored or treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
- Approximately 2 weeks after screening, you will get your results by letter.
To arrange a cervical screening appointment, please telephone the Practice.
Cervical screening saves 5000 lives a year. It is not a test for cervical cancer, it is a screening test to detect abnormalities in the cells of the cervix at an early stage.
When you receive an invitation to cervical screening from the Practice, please, don’t ignore it. It takes just a few minutes and could save your life.
- First time being screen, or nervous? tell the Nurse/Doctor, and try to relax and distract your mind
- Worried about discomfort? Ask the Nurse/Doctor to use a smaller speculum
- Feeling embarrassed? Wear a skirt to your appointment as you can keep this on during the procedure
- Don’t want to go alone? Take a friend with you, to keep you company in the Waiting Room, and be there for you after the screening
- Undergone FGM/cutting in the past? Tell the Nurse/Doctor
- Not sure what to expect? Go to jostrust or call 0808 802 800
Download or view our Smear Test Guide
Important
Try not to put off cervical screening. It’s one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
Advocacy Service
An advocate is a person who speaks up for you, acts on your behalf and, where required, puts forward your case for you .
They are:
- independent of Social Services and the NHS
- not a member of your family or one of your friends
An advocate’s role includes arguing your case when you need them to, and making sure health and social care services follow the correct procedures.
They are independent, so they represent your wishes without giving their personal opinion and without representing the views of the NHS or local authority.
An advocate might help you get information or go with you to meetings or interviews to support you.
Your advocate can also write letters on your behalf, or speak for you in situations where you don’t feel able to speak for yourself.
Find an Advocate
Advocacy Services help people – particularly the most vulnerable in society – to:
- access information and services
- be involved in decisions about their lives
- explore choices and options
- defend and promote their rights and responsibilities
- speak out about issues that matter to them
NHS Health Check aged 40 – 74
The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions. An NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk. Please contact the Practice to arrange an appointment.
Long Term Conditions
Long Term Conditions (LTC) are health conditions that can impact on a person’s life, and may require ongoing care and support. We organise appointments and provide support for people who have an LTC by putting in place a way of working called ‘Care and Support Planning’.
What is care and support planning?
This way of working aims to give you the opportunity to get more out of your annual review appointments by reorganising the way things happen and giving you more information before you see one of our Nurses. It should help you talk about:
- What support you may need
- What is important to you
- What you can do to look after your health and stay well
Who is it for?
Any patient who has a Long Term Condition (LTC).
The Benefits
This way of working is nearly always preferred by patients. It will help both you and our Nurse make the best use of the time you have in your care and support planning appointment. All the important tests and results needed at your appointment will be available for discussion at your second appointment.
What does this mean for me?
This means that your care and support planning review will take place over two separate appointments and you will have time to think about what you want to get out of these visits.
What happens at the first appointment?
At the first appointment, you will be asked to attend the surgery to have a number of tests done with a Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistant. The tests may include a blood test (non-fasting), weight, blood pressure and, if you’re diabetic, a foot check. The Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistant will either book your next appointment which will be with one of our Nurses, or ask you to arrange this appointment with the Reception desk.
What happens next?
Your test results from this appointment will be available when you attend to see the Nurse. The results of this test will be discussed with the Nurse and any appropriate action taken.
What happens at the care and support planning appointment?
At your care and support planning appointment you will be able to ask questions and talk about what’s important to you. The Nurse will raise any issues she is concerned about. Once you both agree on the main things to work on, you will get the chance to work out a plan and identify any support you need to help you look after your health.
There are a number of services that can help you when it comes to looking after yourself if you have the following Long Term Conditions – Diabetes, Chronic Heart Disease, (CHD), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Further Information
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death both in the UK and worldwide. CHD is sometimes called Ischaemic heart disease.
Further information about CHD available from NHS UK
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.
Further information about COPD available from NHS UK