Travel health and indemnity cover

If administering travel vaccines, it is important to ensure that appropriate indemnity cover is in place. This is also a requirement of NMC registration with proof declared on registration.   

Read more about the RCN’s indemnity scheme. If you are an RCN member and meet the eligibility criteria, there is no need to pay extra as it is included in your membership fee.

Further information is available through the RCN’s guidance document Travel Health Nursing: Career and Competence Development (2023).

General practice indemnity related to travel

The Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice (CNSGP) in England and a similar scheme, the General Medical Practice Indemnity (GMPI) in Wales, were introduced in 2019. The schemes cover clinical negligence liabilities arising in general practice and related to incidents on or after 1 April 2019. 

• NHS England: Support with GP indemnity costs (CNSGP). 
• Welsh Government: Information on the Wales GP indemnity scheme (GMPI).

The schemes provide fully comprehensive indemnity for all NHS work in general practice. The schemes do not cover private work, including travel vaccines given privately. 

In summary

• Travel advice (including consent) on all travel vaccinations and immunisations, regardless of whether the patient pays or not, is covered by CNSGP.
• The NHS covers travel vaccinations under CNSGP at no charge. 
• Travel vaccinations that require a fee are not NHS services. Therefore, they are not covered under CNSGP. 

The RCN has extended the indemnity scheme for members to cover nurses administering private vaccinations.

Now that the RCN indemnity scheme has been extended to cover paid-for travel vaccinations, most members employed in General Practice settings will find that all of their professional needs are met by their RCN membership.

• All vaccines should be given in line with the guidance in 'Immunisation against infectious disease (The Green Book)'.
• See the RCN guidance Travel Health nursing: career and competence development (2023), for current guidelines and standards of care for travellers and the standards of care expected for a competent nurse, experienced/proficient nurse and a senior practitioner/nurse consultant working at that level.
• Visit the BMA website for information on medical indemnity.  

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Road Map NTD 2021-2030 was launched in 2021. Ambitious targets include ensuring that 100% of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) endemic communities can access basic water and sanitation services by 2030.  

As a nurse, you should stay alert to current national and international information and the possibility of the risk of travellers’ exposure to other diseases. For those returning ill from affected areas, take a full travel history before making the appropriate referral.