Clinic in London for chickenpox immunisation anyone?

[BikeChick]

Does anyone know of anywhere in London (ideally easily accessible from Dulwich train) that administers the children?s chicken pox vaccines, ideally on weekdays? Obviously I realise this is a private treatment as it is not part of the UK?s immunisation program.

Medicentre in Victoria no longer treat children at all, and the Children?s Immunisation Centre on Harley Street only do Saturday appointments and charge a hefty ?50 ?registration fee? in addition to the cost of the vaccine.

Thank you!

[midivydale]

http://www.metromedical.co.uk/baby-vaccines/

[BikeChick]

I tried asking and got "why bother, all mine have had it, it isn't that bad". Actually, it can be - there is a reason it is part of the routine immunisation schedule in USA, Canada, Australia...

Happy to go private and avoid idiotic conversations like that. Which GP practice are you with, out of interest?

[Ellie78]

I didn't realise you could do this - this would make sense for us, as neither of us can afford to take a week off work at the moment.... Is that a bad reason for doing it? Possibly.

What are the side effects, does anyone know? And why don't they provide it on the NHS? Just because it's not considered a serious illness, or is the vaccine somehow...I don't know...inefficient.

No knowledge of medical issues so any advice gratefully received.

[reren]

Been some interesting threads on this already if you search - but will give you the potted history as i understand it. The vaccine has been routinely given to all children in the usa and elsewhere for over 30 years - and as such is considered very safe - has been tested on a huge amount of children. The reason it isn't on the NHs is complex - there is an argument that if you immunize a whole generation of children then the older generation (who caught the virus as children) have a greater chance of catching shingles and more severely. As I understand it if you had chickenpox the virus is in your system and shingles is your body having an immune response to the virus. If you are regularly exposed to chickenpox however - it boosts your immunity each time you are exposed - giving ou less of a chance of getting shingles. Therefore if no one has chickenpox - you will never get the boost effect. The other reason I've read about for not introducing the chicken pox vaccine - which to me seems even more plausible - is that the powers that be have decided to focus their attention on getting people to get the mmr vaccine as a priority over trying to convince people to immunize against chicken pox. Probably a major factor is also that since people aren't clamouring for it and see chicken pox as 'not too bad' there's no impetus to spend extra money on a programme of vaccination.

[MisforMama]

Babyjabs http://www.babyjabs.co.uk/vaccines/chickenpox_vaccine.html

[BikeChick]

Yes my understanding is similar to renrens. In addition, I understand an economic decision was taken by the nhs that the cost to the economy of parental time off work is less than the cost of vaccinating all children against a disease that is non fatal. I am definitely getting my kids done.

[buggie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22335511

It's the older population and shingles which is a bigger problem than children with chickenpox and so this is why the jab is being introduced to over 70's, if the jab was introduced to babies it would take 100yrs to eradicate the more problematic shingles - as said by the imms co-ordinater of the trust I work for.

[Saffron]

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1058873,1061831#msg-1061831

[Bonfire2010]

We recently had our son vaccinated for Chicken Pox at the South London Travel Centre http://southlondontravelcentre.com/ and all was fine.

[luella]

My son had the vaccine at the Westover clinic in Wandsworth. I'd highly recommend them and easily accessible via train.

http://www.thewestover.com/childrens-services/

[nzmummy]

I would avoid southlondontravelcentre.com like the plague! Took my two year old for the chicken pox jab, the doctor was awful and having waited an hour he literally grabbed my son's arm and rammed the needle in. Patients were walking out of the clinic complaining how terribly it was run saying they would never be back. I will never go back either! Don't chance it, horrible people on reception, long waiting times and terrible service.

[LalKJ]

I recently had my almost 4 yr old and almost 2 yr old vaccinated at the Fleet Street Clinic. Very easy to get to Denmark Hill to City Thames Link and then a short pootle down Fleet Street. Doctor was excellent with the boys and neither suffered any side effects. My reasoning was also selfish - was just about to have a new baby, and couldn't face two ill children at the same time. There's a Strada nearby and St. Paul's to distract them afterwards.

[Bonfire2010]

You'll note my comment was over a year ago - no idea what it is like now!!!

[Saffron]

nzmummy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I would avoid southlondontravelcentre.com like the

> plague! Took my two year old for the chicken pox

> jab, the doctor was awful and having waited an

> hour he literally grabbed my son's arm and rammed

> the needle in. Patients were walking out of the

> clinic complaining how terribly it was run saying

> they would never be back. I will never go back

> either! Don't chance it, horrible people on

> reception, long waiting times and terrible

> service.

Oh what a shame! :-( I had my daughter vaccinated there not long ago. It was a Saturday, we were the only patients, and the doctor was lovely. I wonder what's changed? New management?

[Kes]

My kids had the pox recently and I ended up doing a bit of research into it and the vacination, a recent review found little evidence for it increasing shingles but this still seems to be the official reason for not giving it here. blog post with links about it here if anyone is interested (quite long I'm afraid!):

http://www.southwarkbelle.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/some-poxy-questions-why-doesnt-uk.html

When I (alas too late) looked into clinics the one of Fleet street seemed to be about the cheapest and easieist to get to, though still pretty expensive given that a friend had it done for 24USD in a fancy New York clinic!

[goldilocks]

Our GP surgery did ours - I asked for a private prescription which I paid for and then the surgery nurse administered it. Worth asking about even if you get initial push back (which we didn't)

[inthewoods]

I second babyjabs. As far as I remember, you need to be immunised twice.

[Polmoche]

Speaking of vaccines has anyone asked GP for Hepatitis B jabs? This is also one that US routinely vaccinates against.

[cornelia]

We also used Fleet Street clinic. Very good.