Sainsbury's set up travel clinics instore

Mon, 28 Jul 2008

A leading supermarket has opened travel clinics in their stores allowing shoppers to consult nurses and get their injections on the spot.

Sainsburys is piloting the project in 21 of their stores, not only are they offering free consultations they are claiming to offer a cheaper service, up to a third less than existing travel clinics .

A course of three immunisation injections for Hepatitis A and B cost £150 at Sainsbury's compared to £195 payable at specialist clinics. The combind diptheria, tetanus and polio injection is priced at £20 compared to £31 at specialist clinist and 12 Malarone anti-malaria tablets cost £27 compared to £44 at specialist clinic.

David Gilder, head of professional services at Sainsbury's said, 'We will provide an efficient, good value one-stop-shop for people's travel health needs - from a first aid kit to immunisations .'

The trial stores are within the M25 however the scheme will be rolled out nationwide if it proves successful. Some medical professionals are voicing their concerns over the pilot scheme and say medical advice is not so simple that it can be sold with baked beans and bananas.

Tesco commented last week that they do not have any similar plans but they are not ruling it out completely.

Richard Dawood, a travel medicine specialist at Fleet Street Travel Clinic said, "People often have the impression it's simply a case of looking up a chart and seeing which vaccines are needed. But cases can be far more complicated than that, plus we give people advice on how to behave while they're away, what to do when things go wrong and so on. My worry is that travellers will be sold the cheap vaccines, but won't get any health advice, support and follow-up.'