Updated 18 May 2022
This service attracts and item of service fee and is in the Essential Services section of the GP Contract. Practices are required to operate a call and recall system for this (a recent change).
Using 2017 UK birth rate estimates. A practice of 5000 patients will have approximately 60 births per annum and complete coverage will provide an income of around £1200 each year.
This service pays £10.06 per dose given. The first dose can be given between 6 and 15 weeks of age but ideally should be given at 8 weeks with other immunisations.
The second dose can be given between 10 and 24 weeks of age but ideally should be at 12 weeks with the other immunisations. It should be given 4 weeks after the first dose.
There is no payment for doses outside of the recommended range. There is an increased risk of intussusception when given later.
The correct snomed codes for rotavirus first and second doses need to be entered. Practices must be signed up to delivering or accepting a quality service on CQRS and the data is automatically extracted via GPES on a monthly basis.
The vaccine is normally administered as part of standard childhood immunisations. It is only two doses and should not be given with the third set of immunisations at 16 weeks. Clinicians need to be alert to avoid making a mistake here.
Refusals should be coded – the data is not extracted as part of payment details by GPES but is useful from a public health perspective.
The SNOMED codes are:
1st Rotavirus 868631000000102
2nd Rotavirus 86865000000109
Check the Open Exeter statements monthly to ensure claims made correspond with monies received and errors are chased up swiftly. Check any discrepancy with the commissioner initially (normally the CCG but this will change as ICSs become operational). CQRS and GPES errors can be pursued through NHS Digital.
Authored by Dr John Allingham who is a GP in Leeds
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