NHS Grampian cuts to the number of free vaccine appointments at travel clinics and reductions in the number of community pharmacies offering the service are causing patchy availability in the city.
From 2022, certain vaccinations required for those travelling abroad were offered for free through NHS Scotland. These included Hepatitis A, Tetanus, and Typhoid, diseases which can result from poorly prepared food and water-borne bacteria.
Addressing the cuts NHS Grampian said: “Travel vaccinations, including for Hepatitis A, continue to be available from the NHS. This service is currently available from a reduced number of pharmacies while we develop an in-house service due to launch early next year. A full list of participating pharmacies is available on our vaccinations website and many other pharmacies offer their own services for a small fee.”
Local pharmacies in Grampian spoke out about the surprise announcement.
Stephen Webster, founder and head of Websters Pharmacy, told //The Gaudie// it was “really sad news for us [community pharmacies] and a bolt out of the blue.”
“The NHS pharmacy travel advice and vaccination service has been withdrawn and it remains to be seen if a replacement service will be provided on the NHS but at present there are no free NHS travel vaccinations in Grampian.”
//The Gaudie// found further information on other local pharmacy websites that also contradicts NHS Grampian’s statement.
The reduced but continued offering of free vaccines from the NHS is non-existent according to Cults Pharmacy:
“NHS Grampian have suspended support for the partially funded travel vaccination service for patients – the provision of the service and all vaccines will continue to be provided on a private only basis.”
Similarly, the Cullen Pharmacy website reveals that “no vaccines are available free of charge via the NHS, instead all are now chargeable as a private service.”
As a result, the cuts may mean longer waiting times and higher prices for vaccines.
When asked to clarify the discrepancy in information, NHS Grampian reiterated that the service is still available and the information given in their statement is accurate.
Research into private travel clinics reveals exorbitant vaccination costs, with prices sitting at £55 for a dose of the Hepatitis A vaccine, £37 for the Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio combination, and upwards of £28 for a single jab of the Typhoid vaccine.
Consultations at privatised travel clinics are also an additional cost, with most charging patients £25 on top of any required vaccinations.
Information on the new in-house scheme slated to launch next year has yet to be disclosed.
As NHS Grampian and community pharmacies in Aberdeen contradict one another the current state of Aberdeen’s free vaccination offering remains unclear.
