Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Hi everyone!

The last time I was posting about 6 months ago things were still up in the air regarding my husband’s company but it all seems to have turned on its head quite quickly - we sent his I-130 petition at the end of July and hope (fingers doubly crossed:fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed:) to be out in the US for the beginning of 2013.

The embassy in London seems to be processing I-130’s quite quickly - 7 weeks last estimate; we’re trying to get all of the other documents ready for the next step of my hubby’s green card process.

He’s called up our doctor’s surgery to ask for his vaccination records and everyone he spoke to there seemed a bit perplexed about how to get hold of this. They seemed to think the only way would be to go through all of my historical papers and records and piece it together. They are suggesting it could take several weeks with people being on holiday, etc.

Typical NHS timelines I guess….no wonder this process takes ages!

Alternatively, our visa lawyer has suggested to look at the required vaccinations by age and to check which ones he is required to have. She thought that it may be that he won't need too many injections, or can get evidence of the ones that he needs from the doctor’s surgery rather than the entire list.

I’m just wondering if anyone’s used magic words or know how to more easily obtain access to these records?

We’d really appreciate any help/suggestions!

Thanks so much!
Lynnylou2u:starsmile:

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

I find their attitude a little unusual. When I needed mine, I phoned up my GP and said "I need a copy of my vaccination records" and they said they can either post them out or I could pick them up within the hour. Went down that afternoon and (of course) they had no record that I'd ever called them. Asked them again and they printed the records of their computer straight away at the reception desk. They were ready literally 5 seconds after I asked for them.

Either my GP is extraordinarily organised or the person your husband spoke to at his is incompetent. Don't think it's an NHS problem though. I guess he could try talking to somebody else at the office. Maybe since everyone's on holiday they've got some temp staff in who don't know what they're doing.

Otherwise, ask them to get started on it now. By current estimates I guess it will be another month or so before you hear from the embassy, and another 2-3 weeks before he gets his case number and can book the medical. That should give the GPs office the "several weeks" they need to sort out his records.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Mine took 24 hours and paid a £1 as they were only one sheet. They had to go back through my paper records and check her I had had as a child. Wasn't a problem though!

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

I had a minor issue getting hold of mine...my GP in London had no records at all. I managed to contact my GP back where I grew up and they sorted it out very quickly - just asked me to write a letter approving someone I knew I pick them up for me. If youve moved GPs recently may be worth checking with previous ones...worked for me!

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Why don't you just get a copy of the complete record and piece it together yourself - or just highlight anything dealing with vaccinations?

Ian

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

The standard cost for records is £1 per sheet - that could get a trifle expensive depending on the complexity of the OPs medical history.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

In a nutshell - not my problem, or yours! I gave the OP a viable course of action; I wasn't interested in whether or not it was economically feasible.

Ian

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Not necessarily standard either. Mine were free.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

They should just be able to go on your records to the vaccination page and print that page. I had an appointment with the nurse to get my daughters routine injections and she printed this off for me as well while giving me a TdaP that i needed for the visa. I had it done previously but there was no record of it so it was as simple as just get it done again and make sure they make a record.

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/un...ccinechart.pdf That is the list of vaccination requirements. Assuming your husband is between age 18 and 64, he will only need TdaP and the flu (if the medical is during flu season october 1st to march 1st i believe) and the MMR if he was born in 1957 or later and TWO shots are needed 4 weeks apart. So if it is going to take weeks or if they cant find his records, it may be much easier just to get the shots again.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Thank you for the responses everyone!

It's as I suspected...

I thought it should be a very straight forward process and held all in one place somewhere...I mean,what if a doctor needed to know this information quickly – what would the admin staff do, make them wait for weeks to search for it?

I've advised my OH to talk to his GP where he grew up, as you tend to get most of your injections when you're young, and also to try to speak to someone else at our surgery to see if there's an easier way.

I don't think his medical record would be very long - we're only 28 and he hasn't had any major or even minor health issues really. But if there is an easier way to get the information together without having to piece it together ourselves, I'll take it!

In any case, you're right; at least he can get going on it now so that by the time it's approved and has a case number, :fingerscrossed: they will have his medical records sorted out.

I love the support on this site!

Thanks again all!

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Yes - talking to his childhood surgery could be a good idea.

In a similar situation I spoke to my childhood surgery and they told me to come in that same afternoon. In fact, as some of my paperwork didn't show what immunizations I'd been given (at least not clearly enough for the embassy) I was also given a couple of shots for free which saved me having to get and pay for them on the US side.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Just a minor piece of advice, if you need any shots, have them done at/before your UK medical, as having them later, and haing them confirmed on the I-693 is a complete nightmare.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

The OP's spouse appears to be applying for an immigrant visa. There isn't going to be any I-693.

Good advice for K1s, though, but that's a different thread.

Regards, JEff

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

The other way to do this might be to make an appointment at your surgery to see the travel nurse. Take a copy of the requirements with you and present it to the nurse and ask what you need to have to meet the requirements.
(bear in mind though, they deal with travel, not immigration so you might know more than they do about what you need)
They should be able to pull up your records to see what you have had, and after they have given you any shots you need, ask if you could have a quick print off of that history with that days' shots added in.

Surgeries vary in terms of their approach and costs for shots and print outs; most shots are generally free though.

Sometimes with the NHS it's better to work from the inside rather than a receptionist that, whilst the majority try (and do) a great job, this request is a little unusual and they are ill-prepared for it.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Not sure if you have sorted this, but all I did was make an appointment to see the nurse at my GPs office, she was able to pull up all shots I had ever had, gave her a list of what was required for the medical and gave me them all for free except one, which is not required, but paid to have it done which was the varicella at a cost of around 70 quid.

I must state at this point that heb b, I believe and boosters were all I required.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Titre test. Problem solved.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Many here are quoting how simple it is to just get your surgery to run a printout of the vaccination record however; this is only simple for them to do if you have been with the same surgery for a number of years. In my case, I had two different GP's during my childhood and then joined the Army. Then after coming out of the Army I remained with military doctors as my ex was still serving, but my records were now held somewhere different. After my ex left, we then moved towns/cities a further three times and since being in my last town, I have had four different surgeries (due to catchment areas). The last two surgeries only had vaccination history going back to 2001 when we had jabs to go to Tunisia.

For me, I had to contact the MOD, request my military medical records and then go and see the practice nurse and together, we pieced together what I'd had in the Army along with my Tunisia jabs and she then gave me the others that I needed free of charge.

I (and the nurse) contacted our local NHS for my childhood records but were informed that they only keep hold of them up to the patient turning 25 years old. After that, I believe they are destroyed and I was clearly told that it was my (or my mum's) responsibility to keep hold of them!!

I'm 45 - I have never had them and I know for sure my mum never kept hold of them (one never suspects that you'll need them again when your kids fly the nest!)

Anyway, for me, it took several weeks of emails, phone calls and visits, but eventually got it done and I would definitely recommend getting them all done here in the UK whilst most of them can be given for free on the NHS.

I asked for a Titre test, but the nurse advised me that this in itself would be more time-consuming getting all the results back etc so I just popped up my sleeve and let her stick those needles in me there and then.... problem solved :)

I hope your OH gets his sorted soon, get him to speak to a nurse rather than the receptionist as, as someone else has already mentioned, they are usually out of their comfort zone when you ask for something out of the ordinary like this.

Best of luck to you both :)

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

That may well be in true in some cases but there was a push many years ago to get the old records out onto computer and the files are usually sent from surgery to surgery even if you move surgeries regularly.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

Then why didn't you just get a titre test and be done with it?

Your GP should have done one during a physical for your records if you'd have asked, other wise it might have cost a couple of quid. Wouldn't take more than a couple weeks and be far quicker trying to piece it all together from different sources.

Re: Getting the Vaccination Records out of the NHS
 

The push to get old records onto computer? How long have they been using computers for this because at 45 years of age, my records have been destroyed for approximately 20 years (and believe me, my childhood records are nowhere to be found at county NHS level..... even the nurse tried without success.) And yes, I'm sure some (if not many) surgeries are up to date with getting the records on their systems etc when a patient has moved around. In my case, five months after registering with my surgery (and after already having a couple of doctor appointments in that time) my previous records from the last practice were still sitting in a box in their file room and hadn't been input on their system!

My point wasn't to state that my case was "the norm", it was merely stating that sometimes, things aren't always as simple as hitting the print button so I was merely offering an alternative perspective.

From requesting my military records to actually walking out of the surgery fully up to date with all vaccines required and proof of such, took around two weeks so was no slower than going the Titre Test route.

I never intended my comment to be taken as an argumentative point, just highlighting that everybody seems to have different experiences when requesting their vaccine records (I know, I read enough of them a few months ago when I was looking for help and advice in my state of panic at the time!) and the responses received from surgeries varies dramatically too. I think my point was to show that sometimes it's easier to just request the vaccines that are required be given at your local surgery as this is sometimes quicker, less stressful and most of the vaccines are given free on the NHS.

This was just my viewpoint and not meant as anything other than that. :)