Position statement on the prescribing of selected travel vaccines
Following the local Spending NHS Money Wisely public consultation, the Governing Bodies of the BHR CCGs met in common on 29th June 2017 to agree changes to prescribing across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge.
From 10th July 2017
Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Groups (BHR CCGs) no longer supports the prescribing of these vaccines for travel:
- Hepatitis A&B combined
- Hepatitis B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Japanese encephalitis
- Rabies
- Tick-borne encephalitis
- Tuberculosis
- Yellow fever
Decision
- The decision to stop prescribing hepatitis A and B combined, hepatitis B, meningococcal meningitis, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, tuberculosis, yellow fever vaccines applies only if they are being prescribed for travel purposes
- Restricting the prescribing of these vaccines for travel applies to ALL patients across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. BHR CCGs have agreed NO exceptions to this recommendation. It should be noted that prescribing of these vaccines outside of travel purposes is still permitted on the NHS
- GP practices may charge a registered patient for immunisation with these vaccines if requested for travel, or the patient may be given a private prescription to obtain the vaccines
- Please note the following vaccines are still available to be prescribed on the NHS for travel – cholera, diphtheria, polio and tetanus booster, hepatitis A, typhoid.
- Provision of travel advice: NHS patients are entitled to receive advice on recommended immunisations and malaria prophylaxis free of charge
This decision was made because: - BHR CCGs have agreed to enforce the current NHS restriction for prescribing of travel vaccines on the NHS, which has been very loosely adhered to locally
- BHR CCGs have a duty to spend taxpayer’s money wisely, to make sure they get the best value possible – especially when NHS funding is being severely squeezed and more patients are being seen with more complex health issues than ever before