Pollyana

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.

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(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)

rasen78

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

Pollyana

teza

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!

smaux04

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.

Pomster

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.

Tr1boy

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

teza

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.

rasen78

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

teza

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

smaux04

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.

Pollyana

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

Tr1boy

Smaux04, that is great info, many thanks.

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

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?

smaux04

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!

Tr1boy

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.