'Tax on Volunteers' slammed

1.51.59pm GMT Tue 5th Sep 2006

Vincent Cable, MP, has criticised the West Middlesex hospital and the Hounslow Primary Care Trust for charging volunteers for routine vaccinations, insisted upon as a condition for working in hospitals, even if not in a nursing role. The issue arose when a resident sought to place her daughter in a volunteer role at the West Middlesex Hospital. The GP surgery (Little Park) charged a £25 fee; the hospital disclaimed any responsibility; and so did the Primary Care Trust, blaming doctors.

Vincent Cable said: "Mrs Nash is rightly furious that her and her daughter's good intentions have been dealt with in such a bureaucratic and insensitive manner. Volunteers are being encouraged to help out with routine, non clerical, tasks. They are required to be vaccinated, which may or may not be necessary. But then they are treated by the NHS as if they were going on holiday to Thailand. Overall this is pretty silly behaviour but I was particularly taken aback by the Primary Care Trust which, instead of waiving the charges, has treated my enquiry as a formal complaint against the doctor".