GPs/practices are urged to contact their medical defence body immediately in order to confirm arrangements for their indemnity cover for provision of paid-for travel vaccinations.
Indemnity – paid for travel vaccinations no longer covered by CNSGP
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS Resolution (NHSR) have
confirmed a change in cover provided by CNSGP, with the
supply and administration of paid for travel vaccinations no longer included.
Previously the published scope of CNSGP included the supply and administration
vaccinations where patients are directly charged. DHSC and NHS England have
stated that this information was not correct and have apologised for this
error.
DHSC and NHSE have committed to ensure that any general practice staff who were administering travel vaccinations and immunisations (where patients were charged a fee) and who understood themselves to be covered under the CNSGP for such activities, are not financially at a disadvantage as a result of any claim, or potential claim, against them as a consequence of relying on the incorrect information. In order to mitigate any risk to the health of patients, NHSR will provide assistance in relation to any claim for clinical negligence for the supply and administration of privately funded travel vaccinations for the period between 1 April and 31 July 2019.
General practice staff should contact NHSR to access support for such claims. Claims relating to the supply and administration of any travel vaccinations or immunisations (where the patient is required to pay) provided outside of this period should be reported to your medical defence organisation or indemnity provider.
Commenting on the change of scope, Mark Sanford-Wood, GPC England deputy chair, said “We are concerned that this decision has been made so early in the evolution of the new GP indemnity scheme. It will have clear implications for practices, who may face little choice but to decide to stop providing non-NHS funded travel vaccinations as a result. We have raised this concern with DHSC and highlighted the potential public health risk that may result. It was very unhelpful that this change was announced on the NHS Resolution website without consultation or the profession being notified, and this has been fed back very clearly to DHSC and NHS Resolution. We welcome the decision to confirm that all travel vaccinations will be covered under CNSGP until the end of July, and would urge practices to consider carefully the services they deliver after that date and ensure all of their staff are fully indemnified for all services which they continue to provide.” Read the MDU statement here and this was also reported by GP online.