Is Immunisation against hepatitis B covered by the NHS?

Yes - that is the case if you have had the disease. It may not be universal yet, but St Andrews (which is one of the schools the OP has applied to) does require evidence of immunisation, and the OP has done exactly what their website advised him to do.

The point is that it is in your interests to be protected from infection, as well as protecting patients. You don't want your career as a hot-shot surgeon to be scuppered by picking up Hep B, so even if the medical schools you are applying to don't insist on it, it is a self-evidently sensible thing to do. These days, when students can come into contact with patients very early on (rather than being confined to the dissection labs and lecture theatres for anything up to three years before being let loose) it makes complete sense to sort it all out before you start.

I had to have the Hapatitis B vaccine for my social work course and I asked at the surgery I was registered with at uni, who said I'd have to pay for it, but my Mum asked at the one at home and they did it for free. It might be worth asking different surgeries, as they may have different policies. Or ask your uni for a letter saying you have to have it for the course to give to your GP.

My point is that you are misinformed slighty.

Different GPs have different policies because they can not claim back the cost of the course of imms. If a GP vaccinates you, they are doing so out of their own generosity and the practice have to pay the cost of the jabs...

If you wait until you hold an offer before starting the vacc course, you may not have documentary evidence of immunity to give to the uni before enrolling. Some medical schools have been known to withdraw offers at the last minute because people haven't been vaccinated in time. Also, some people don't get offers til Clearing in August, and at any rate most people's offers aren't confirmed until A Level results day, at which point its a tad late to be starting your jabs.

The point about the cost of the jabs to the GP I got straight from the horses mouth; I work at a GP surgery and the partners said the cost wouldn't be renumerated by the PCT. My own GP surgery said the same.

The 'employer' has done all they can to ensure your H&S; they provide information and make it quite clear that you need to get yourself vaccinated before you start medical school. It's then your own responsibility to make sure you do that.

The change in the way medical courses run has meant that instead of not meeting patients until clinical years, you're coming into contact with them from Week 1, so immunisation from the moment you set foot on campus is imperative.

How can there be areas with high demand for immunisation? Areas with significantly more healthcare workers?? I'm personally not aware of Hep B immunisation being provided for any other reason; I realise IVDU's are a high risk group, but it's a bit tricky getting them to attend for three separate jabs months apart, so AFAIK they aren't vaccinated.

Just don't go down the route of 'I've paid my taxes, therefore I'm entitled to everything on the NHS'. The NHS is free at the point of entry, or whatever the official line is. It provides fantastic healthcare, but if you want additional things, such as vaccinations not considered to be essential, extra scans during pregnancy, or a hospital more like a hotel, then you have to pay. I think that's perfectly fair.

honey i understand what you're saying. but i think you've got the wrong end of the stick somewhere. it's not very difficult. yes in a fair and happy world you should probly be allowed a free injection. unfortunately this is not enforced by legislation so you pay or rely on goodwill. someone has to foot the bill....

I did not say that no-one got in through Clearing, but it's a small percentage of the total. For 2006 entry, it was 264 (3.7%) and for 2005 it was 197 (2.7%) of the Home applicants - data from UCAS. In the general scheme of things nationally, those are very small numbers.

aaargh this is just irritating. hep b injections are administered to some patients. however unless you fit the criteria, that isn't you. an applicant to medical school doesn't fit these unless you would fit into the category otherwise.

i'd also say that, although off on a tangent, my offer conditions were not illogical. having the injections doens't mean you're immune. some people require more doses than others. incidentally i wasn't immune despite having complied fully with normal procedure.

the fact that it's only 2% of people or whatever won't make a difference to you if that includes you.

can i ask what your background is?

That's funny, I had a meeting with occupational health and had blood tests taken for bloodborne diseases and Hep B surface antibody tests in week 2 or 3.

i'd also say that, although off on a tangent, my offer conditions were not illogical. having the injections doens't mean you're immune. some people require more doses than others. incidentally i wasn't immune despite having complied fully with normal procedure.