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Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) - information for healthcare providers

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) provides a one-off tax-free payment to successful applicants where, on very rare occasions and on the balance of probabilities, a vaccine has been assessed to have caused severe disablement, within the meaning of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979

The VDPS is not a compensation scheme. It is a no-fault scheme. A successful claim does not apportion blame to you as a healthcare provider or anyone else.

The NHSBSA administers the VDPS on behalf of the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC). DHSC remains responsible for the policy and legislation that governs the scheme.

Requesting medical records

As part of the VDPS application process, patients give us their consent to request medical records from the healthcare providers listed on their VDPS claim form.

We’re aware that requests for medical records may place an administrative burden on healthcare providers. However, this can be a very distressing time for claimants and a medical assessment can only commence once we have full medical records.

DHSC asks that when healthcare providers receive a request from us for an individual’s medical records that you respond within 28 days or sooner, so that claims can be assessed and settled as quickly as possible.

Healthcare providers can send patient medical records to us by email, or via secure online portals such as Egress or MediData.

If you are unable able to supply the records electronically, you should provide copies of the patient’s medical records securely by post. Mark the envelope PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.

Patient care

Claims are considered using the criteria of the scheme where, on the balance of probabilities, severe disablement occurs as a result of a vaccine itself. A claim to the VDPS in relation to just the administration of the vaccine – the act of vaccinating a patient – will not be considered eligible. A VDPS claim is not an allegation of negligent clinical care.

Subject Access Requests

We have agreed with the DHSC that if healthcare providers do not engage with us within 28 days of issuing a request for medical records, we will submit a subject access request on the claimant’s behalf.

Patient consent

VDPS claimants provide consent for disclosure of medical records as part of their initial claim form.

This consent is usually provided electronically and there is no legal requirement for claimants to provide additional consent or a wet signature for us to request copies of medical records.