U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Hi there,

We have just relocated to Australia from the UK.
Our daughter is 3.5years old and is up to date with her vaccinations.
We've been told she will need to have another set of vaccinations (same as she had in the UK a few months ago) in order to be eligible for government benefits and rebate here in Australia.
We are of course concerned at the impact a double dose of vaccinations will have.

Has anyone from the UK obtained government support for their child the same approximate age and if so, did you need to have another set of vaccinations done here in Australia to be eligible for it?

Thanks in advance.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Do you have a record of the vaccinations she had done in the UK?

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Yes we do (the NHS issued red book containing all medical records for the child since birth - including all vaccinations). But the problem is in the Uk they get a big dose of vaccinations at aged 3.5yrs but in Australia they don't do the same vaccinations until they are 4yrs old.

A friend who got the vaccinations in the UK (and has full records the same as we do) has been told she has to get the same vaccinations done here again now her kids have turned 4.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Ah, the old "friend was told". Have YOU actually been told your child needs to re-do vaccinations? And if so, by whom?

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

We have many parents using the fourm and I don't remember anyone having to get their chid vaccinated again. The child may need a couple of extra ones as I think there are some vaccinations which aren't given in the UK, but generally if you have the red Book proving what they have had, that is sufficient.

From https://www.humanservices.gov.au/cus...aAnzs8P8HAQ#a4

Overseas vaccinations
If you’ve recently arrived or returned to Australia and your child was immunised overseas, you need to take evidence of your child's overseas vaccinations to your Australian vaccination provider who’ll update the Immunisation Register.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Hi there,

Many Thanks for your reply.

The info from the website link you attached was exactly the info that my friend took with her (and her red book!) when she went to see her doctor, but they still said she needed to get full vaccinations again. : (

I guess that's why I was hoping to connect with some parents on this forum who have gone through the process so I'd know there was some other possible precedence / options (other than getting the vaccinations again).

Thanks again for your help.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I have to say (even as a non-parent) that the doctor would appear to be wrong. I would contact either Human Services or Medicare
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/cus...mail-or-fax-us
and verify the position - it may even be that the doctor concerned has never dealt with a UK vaccinated child before.

I'm sure some parents will chip in when its a more sociable hour here, but I can honestly say that I don't think anyone has had an issue with UK vaccinations in the whole time I've been on the forum ( and I read all the vaccination threads, for personal reasons) and in your shoes I would not be placing my child in the position of having a dose of something unecessarily.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I totally agree. We too are not willing to put our child at risk for the sake of being able to claim any benefit or refund. I find it hard to believe that medical practitioners would take that line about the vaccinations but I guess as there is no concrete proof that having the additional vaccinations is harmful (!), perhaps they feel obligated to follow the government regulations?

My friend spoke to both human service and Medicare about it but isn't having much luck - yet! I was hoping to find some support for her and also our own case when we go to get our daughters existing vaccinations registered.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

:fingerscrossed: you'll get some input from parents here today. As far as I can see the government regulations say that overseas vaccinations are valid, and I haven't come across any of my British mates having any issues with their kids.

Can you clarify which State you are in - might help other posters to help you :)

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

We are in Queensland.

Thanks again.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

You're completely able to try a different doctor as well - even if it's only for this issue.


S

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

My daughter was born in Aus but we lived in UK between 3-5yrs old and she had all vaccinations in UK. I got our GP to stamp her (Aus) book and they provided a certificate of what she had had for extra ones. I sent that off to central registry to have her record updated so all was ready for school admission.

No double dosing required. Slightly different drug names but they can translate.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Thanks for your feedback, thats really helpful

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Doubling up on vaccinations can be a health risk in itself (can cause disease-like symptoms), and I would question the competence of any doctor who advocated giving a duplicate set of jabs to a child just because an administrative manual said so. Whatever happened to the fundamental precept of healthcare "First, do no harm"? :unsure:

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I totally agree and we are not willing to put our child at risk. I was really hoping from this forum i might get some feedback form parents who have migrated here from the UK like us and not needed to get the extra dose of vaccinations, as that would really help our case when we visit Medicare and the GP.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I think part of the issue is that because the law changed so recently regarding the benefits/vaccines issue, most GPs are just not up to speed with it. And most parents have been here since before the change, you are an unfortunate guinea pig.

I think in your shoes I would be taking print outs of the paperwork to the GP/health centre or to Medicare and insisting that they get an answer from Human Services - in writing. If it still says you need to double vaccinate then contact them yourself quoting their own website.

If it comes to it, you can go to MPs and federal MPs as its not fair or right that a child should get a double dose of anything.

------------------------------------------------

(I nearly died after having the first part of the whooping cough vaccine years ago. When I got my medical records before I emigrated I discovered I had been given CPR after I stopped breathing when given the dose. My mum had never told me it was that serious. I know thats a long time ago but it makes me very very cautious on behalf of others)

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

In order for you to qualify for child benefit and/or child care rebate, Medicare will require an up to date record of your child(s) immunisation record.

The UK and Aus immunisation programme is fairly similar. The main difference is that your child will need to have the Hep B vaccination which is done over a course of 3 months. This is not a double up, but is an additional vaccine that the UK does not currently provide. This is where the confusion may be lying.

Have you registered with myGov online? This has the information that is required to complete the necessary immunisation records, including the forms the doctor needs to fill in to update the records for the Australian Childhood Immunsation Register ACIR

Take your child's red book to a doctor and ask them to send the relvant information to Medicare so the ACIR can be updated. They should have the form that is required. As other posters have said, see a different doctor if you are not happy with the one you have already seen. Ask the Receptionist when you call, that the appt is to update the ACIR and they should know all about it.

HTH

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

:thumbup:

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I don't know if this will help as its from 16 yrs ago, but we came here with a three months old baby in the middle of his vaccinations. Instead of GP, we went to our local child health clinic and they were very upto date with requirements and drew a plan to get our son in line with australian requirements. Later in life, have trusted our GP and he's always been aware of stuff outside the box, so suggest a new GP in your case! It takes few months to get vaccinations at some cases to be aligned, I'd suggest you contact the medicare for what is required in your part they might be even able to send an official letter of what is required. Good luck!

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Thankyou all for your replies, they have really helped support our own thoughts and position on the subject.

It has also reitterated that the information my friend was given by her GP about having to double up on vaccinations is possibly a one off and as per our own thoughts, should be addressed with another GP and / or more senior authorities.

Thanks again.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Probably should have added- we came back to Aus end 2012 so we are 3 years out of date with our info.

GPs here are happy to contact GPs in UK for info but if you can bring it with you, everything is sped up.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

We are just going through this in the UK at the moment. Daughter is 26mths old. She is completely up to date with the Red Book but we are probably going to return to Oz in the next 3 mths or so.

Situation is that daughter is currently about to start her Chicken Pox and Hep B shots (all private).

First one starts one week from today (11/3) (CP and Hep B)

Then 4 weeks later the same again, which means CP is finished.

But they are telling us that the last Hep B shot will be 5mths from the previous (making it just over 6mths away from now).

If we come to Oz before the last one is due, will it mean that Oz will just give her the last one and not the whole course again? (obviously we will have to pay).

confused :confused:

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I'd say get her vaccination records, go to a vaccine clinic or good GP, get them matched up with current vaccinations but no double ups, if in doubt, take vacc records to local Medicare office and get a vaccination record printed out.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

So long as the records are accurate, they should just complete the course. Not sure if you will have to pay as the HepB is part of the immunisation programme here. We didn't have tompay for our 2 to have the hep B vaccs

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

GPs we've had to pay normàl fees, vaccination clinics no charge unless chargeable by vaccination.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

The good news is that we have this all sorted now and I wanted to post it on here so others will know (and not have to go through all the pain of trying to find out how to get it sorted!).

In a snapshot....

Here's a list of the vaccinations currently required in Australia. To be eligible for things like child benefit and applying to most schools, the Australian government require your child to be up to date with all their vaccinations.

Immunise - National Immunisation Program Schedule (From 20 April 2015)

Our daughter is 3.5years old and the only vaccinations from the above list that she didn't have (because it isn't a requirement in the UK) is Hep A, Hep B and Chickenpox.

I found a great government website that gives you information on free vaccination clinics. I went along to one of the clinics and explained my situation and the people there were amazing and so helpful.

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/goldco...alendar_LR.pdf

They confirmed that our daughter only needed the 3 vaccinations above and that these could be done via their clinic no problems. More importantly, they confirmed my daughter does not need another dose of vaccinations she has previously had. The Hep B is a course of 3 needles and the Hep A and Chickenpox are only one dose each.

They draw up a 'catchup schedule' which shows which vaccinations the child has already received and which ones they still need.

That catchup schedule is then submitted to the government (by the people at the clinic) and updated in the government database. As the child gets the vaccinations done, the clinic then sends the information to the government who then updates it again. This means departments like Medicare and childcare benefits can look to see what vaccinations any child has had at any point in time.

Tr1boy - we are in a similar situation to you. The schedule for our daughters 'catchup vaccinations' is as follows:

Day 1: Hep B + chickenpox (2 separate needles) - we had these done today
Day 30: 2nd dose of Hep B + 1 dose of Hep A
Day 120: Third (and last) dose of Hep B

Tr1boy - based on the advice I have been given, I would think you would only need the last dose of Hep B and not the full course again. I too need to pay for my daughters Hep B but the Hep A and Chickenpox are covered by Medicare. My suggestion is that as soon as you can after your arrival, you attend one of the government clinics and get them to create a 'catchup schedule' for your child.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed their thoughts on the subject. You will be pleased to know that my friend who had the original issue with her GP (telling her that her kids needed to double up on their previous vaccinations) has also been sorted - as soon as I left the government run clinic last week, I called her immediately and she came to the clinic and got her triplets sorted right there and then with catchup schedules. They even did the first dose of Hep B to the kids to get them started.

I can't recommend the Gold Coast vaccination clinic team highly enough. They have made what could have been a very complicated issue, a very simple thing to get sorted.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

That's brilliant info!

So glad you got it sorted, and thanks on behalf of the forum for posting the up-to-date info for those who follow on :)

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Smaux04, that is great info, many thanks.:thumbup:

Thanks also to everyone that replied. Will digest in more detail tonight over a cuppa.:cool:

I just had a thought (rare on a Friday!). Our Medicare cards have expired and our daughter has never had one at all, will that take long to get sorted?

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Tr1boy - getting Medicare cards was easy. We went into a Medicare / Centrelink office, filled out the form, submitted it right there and then, they gave us a temporary (family) card and then the long term plastic cards arrived in the post about a week later. Sorted!!
Good luck!

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Brilliant, thanks. I did remember to renew my NSW driving licence but you can't renew Medicare from overseas. Good to know you get a temp card straight away.:thumbup:

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

The HepA vacc is for those 'at risk' so it is possible the child may not require that one. If you're child has already had chicken pox they also will not require the pertussis vacc. Be sure to tell them if your child has had chicken pox.

As HepB is on the list you 'should 'not need to pay for it. We certainly didn't. However, as it is just for one injection to complete the course a payment may be required but TBH I would be surprised if they did charge you.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

I was told by several officials that Hep B is now an Australian government requirement (see guidelines above in force from 2015) if you want to enrol your child in most schools and if you want to receive child care benefit and / or rebate. I've never been told they only need Hep B if your child is at risk.

I think it's worth checking your individual child's requirements with more than once source just to be sure.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

If you read my post correctly you will see that I said the HepA is the one for 'at risk' people.

HepB is required for all and as such is a free vaccine. Both of my children have up to date immunisation records registered with Medicare and neither of them have had the HepA vaccine.

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Insisting on the HepB is fine in theory however my daughter had it done at school, found out two years later that it had never taken so she had another dose and we found out recently that it still hasn't taken. Doctor said it was quite common :rolleyes: She's not bothering again. However they want the kids to have the jabs, they don't necessarily want them protected. :lol:

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Rasen78 - yes you are correct, I meant to write Hep A and not Hep B when referring to the one that is given to those at risk / to those considered to need it.

Tr1boy - another thing to do when you get out here....
In addition to getting a catchup vaccination schedule done, you will need to get a GP or another approved specialist to complete the Immunisation History Form. This can be found on the internet and also all GP's have a copy of it.

Once it is filled out then it is sent into ACIR and they put it on the system along with the details of the catchup schedule. Once they have both those documents then they will upload the data to the mygov site which is where all the data is held.

Hope this helps!

Re: U.K. Vaccinated child - issues with receiving government support
 

Thanks very much :thumbup: my wife has been on the phone to her regular GP in Sydney as well, so we should be up to speed when we get here. First trip will be to the Medicare office of course.