Paying for vaccines

THE NHS is not free when it comes to vaccinations. My two grandchildren narrowly missed out on the meningitis vaccine because one was slightly older and the younger one was born a month too soon. I paid £300 to have them vaccinated.

I have a lung condition and the hospital respiratory practitioner advised me to have a second pneumonia vaccine, as I had the last one more than ten years ago.

My GP surgery told me they could not give me this vaccination, but I could pay £70 to have it privately.

I have to accept that I need to pay to protect my health and that of the youngest and most vulnerable members of my family.

Why can’t the Government say that if the NHS won’t cover it and you are willing to pick up the cost, you will be charged the same amount as the NHS, which is considerably lower than going private?

It wouldn’t cost the NHS more, but preventing illness could save it the cost of treatment in the long term.

PATRICIA CHURCHILL, Bristol.