Rubella screening: organization and incentive

Abstract

Women aged 15-44 in a total population of 13,300 were screened for rubella immunity. Seventy-one per cent of the women at risk responded to a letter asking them to attend for a blood test, and of these nearly two thirds were screened. Practice expenditure on the programme was three times greater than income. We suggest a simpler, cheaper way of screening which involves minimal extra work and where an age-sex register is not required. We propose the introduction of a higher item-of-service payment for rubella vaccination.