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General
Requirements
Hepatitis
"B": The NHS wish to protect doctors and patients from acquiring Hepatitis "B" and it is impossible to place doctors in work if they have not provided information regarding their Hepatitis "B" status. All hospitals require a photocopy of a UK pathology report, which includes details of the titre level together with your full name and address and date of birth. If this is your first job in the UK you must get a report on arrival.
General Requirements: Acceptable levels vary from hospital to hospital, but a UK laboratory report showing a titre level of over 100 miu/ml and your date of birth, carried out within the last two years will almost always be acceptable. A number of hospitals will accept evidence of a non-responder to vaccine, natural immunity of low infectivity, which is normally discussed by your Occupational Health Department or GP.
Vaccine against Hepatitis "B": This should be available on request from the Occupational Health Department for NHS employees. For doctors not in direct NHS employment it should be available free of charge from your GP. The full vaccination course is a lengthy process so we recommend you obtain an HBsAG antigen level to prove your non-infectivity.
Testing: Blood tests can be obtained via your GP or via laboratories throughout the UK. The result is generally available in 48 hours. Alternatively at the Medi-Centre Laboratories which are based in London's Waterloo, and Victoria Railway stations. The charges vary between £40.00 -
£360.00 depending on where you go, however, you should be aware that the majority of hospitals require an occupational health lab report.
Obtaining your certificate: If you have recently had an Occupational Health Medical, your Hepatitis "B" status may have been evaluated and the result sent to your G.P. You should ask your G.P. for a confirmation letter which will include the titre level and your date of birth and should not just state "immune." Alternatively, Occupational Health may provide you with a copy of the result.
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