macker

Hi all,

Please can someone explain about how stringent the Australian Government are on children having all records of their shots?

Basically, when my son was a baby he got all the usual shots required but the doctor that we had at the time was, to put it nicely, a bit flakey. Lovely older woman who loved her job and was getting close to retirement, often told me that she worked for the love of the job and never cared about the money..........To cut a long story she never recorded any of the vaccinations (batch numbers etc). I eventually moved from the area and heard that she had a stroke a few years ago. At that time ,this is about 4 years ago, i sent a letter to her office requesting hand over files etc and never heard back from anyone. I called the health board and there was no record of my son having his shots for that period of time (birth to 1 yrs old). I have records for any other shots he had. Is this going to be a major problem for us?

Thanks.

robos

i would also like to know the answer to this as i have tried for weeks to get my kids records but feel like im floggin a dead donkey

any help would be grateful

jan xx

68MEVY

The family assistance office requires a copy of the immunisation record before they give you any benefit. Kindergarten and pre-school also require a copy of immunisation records.

Whether or not there is a way around it I have no idea. If there is no way of getting the records maybe a stat dec would suffice, don't take that as gospel though, it's just a thought.

Marie

annqldau

My son had all his UK immunisations but now he's here and eleven i'm not sure if he needs hep A as standard think Aus kids get that.

Can't remember problem with vacines record can't you get it off your GP she should have sent copy to them and they should have on file.

HiddenPaw

Hi Jan
You have a legal right to your records under the Data Protection Act/Freedom of Information Act, and anyone denying you access is more than likely in breach of this.

Have you made a formal request (e.g. in writing to the surgery or healthcare authority)? By law, they should respond in 40 days. Might be an idea to get something sent registered post. You may have to pay a charge so ask them for costs as well. If they fail to act then you can complain thru the NHS or Information Commissioners Office. http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

Welshie

I didn't bring 'official' records just the red book you get when they are born and the Health Visitor has signed and dated when he had the vaccinations. That was sufficient for pre-school but i'm on a temp visa so haven't had to claim anything from the Government yet??? mmmm maybe I will need them too?

moneypenny20

Have claimed for family assistance, no one has mentioned anything about immunisation (although I do have the girls records) they are 10 and 13 and neither school have asked for them either. Maybe they don't worry over a certain age

68MEVY

Maybe. My daughter is 4 and we've been asked by family assistance, kindy and pre school.

68MEVY

It's not hep A, it's hep B. All Australian kids have it at 2, 3 and 4 mths.

We're having arguements with Family assistance over it at the minute. Apparently unless we get our daughter (who is 4) immunised, they'll stop our Family assistance and child care allowance.
Got a thread running at the moment to see if there's a way around it. So far 0 replies

Marie

Bella Donna

The immunisation records are only necessary to claim certain benefits - maternity immunisation allowance and child care benefit, I believe. As these are not going to be applicable for most older children, I suspect that there is a cut-off age beyond which they are not interested.

FWIW no details are held on the immunisation register once a child reaches 7+. I was looking at the claim form for Family Tax benefit the other day and there is no need to fill in about immunisation if the child is over 7. They aren't interested.

Sue

Bella Donna

It might be. I've just replied to Marie on her other thread, and as I said there, vaccination is not mandatory in Australia.

However, if you are going to claim state benefits here, it may be necessary to provide evidence of immunisation - notably for maternity immunisation allowance and child care benefit. If you do not have the records because no record was kept, your GP might be willing to provide something in writing in support of your claim based on titre readings (from blood tests). Or perhaps the GP in the UK might be willing to put something on paper to state that the appropriate vaccines were administered. Obviously they would be sticking their neck out here but no-one can force you to have the vaccinations re-done just to obtain benefits.

Failing that, the only way around it that I can see would be to lodge a conscientious objection - I put the link in the other post.

HTH.

Sue

macker

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Basically I don't think i'll get my records for my sons early vaccinations. Doctor never recorded them, her surgery is now gone ( i think she has passed away now!!!) From reading all the other posts I think the only way forward for me is to ask my GP now to put something in writing, ( I have a 2 year old who has had all her jabs with her). Maybe get it certified or something. I'm in Ireland but we do have the equivalent of the "Red Book" but I have lost his(aaaaahhhhhhhhh).

I think its important to try solve all this now as I don't want to get hit by a request for vaccination reports when I'm in Australia.

It seems from some of the posts that some places ie schools etc need them and some don't. My son is now eight so maybe it will be fine.

robos

hiya

i have put a written request in
i have been told anyone under nine years is automaticaly logged on computer but because all of min are 12 and over their records are in archive and will take some months to find plus because we have moved doctors so many times since they are harder to trace

going for meds at the end of this month and wanted to have them to take with me

jan xx

Wendy

I forgot my little one's red book and the doctor said it was fine. I went to Huddersfield for meds.

They never asked for my sons he's had just gone 13.

macker

Hi Robos,

If you have sent in a written request, why not call them and push, push ,push for it (in the most polite way). Say that you must have them for your medicals and is there any way they can put a rush on them for you.
Worth a try!