MMR Given Without My Consent

[zanzibar2]

We've had an awful experience with my daughter's immunisations.

We saw the nurse for her 12 month jabs, and the nurse administered the MMR jab without asking/telling me.

After greeting us, I told her we were there for the 12 month immunisations, to which she replied 'I'll give you all 3 today' - which I presumed to be the group of 12 month jabs listed in the red book.

Afterwards I thanked her, and she said 'the MMR can cause a fever so give Calpol if needed' ...

When I questioned her she told me that since November the NHS have been administering the 1st MMR at 12, not 13 months. I said it still says 13 months in my red book - how would I have known that? And surely she should have made it clear (given all the adverse media surrounding MMR and the fact that many parents choose not to have it), that she was specifically administering the MMR?

Knowing that GP surgeries receive a payment from the Government for every MMR jab they administer, I'm concerned this wasn't a genuine case of the nurse not paying attention that day - but more a case of tricking parents into having the jab.

My daugher reacted very badly - she had a high fever, seemed really uncomfortable and inconsolably crying.

And to top it all, the nurse entered some other poor babies details into our red book - a 3 month old boy! My child is a 12 month old girl ...

Other mums I've spoken to say they're always asked to sign a consent form before having jabs - however the nurse told me that parental consent wasn't needed to administer the MMR.

Surely this can't be true? ....

A very concerned Mummy

E-mail zanzibar2

I've always been asked to sign consent for DDs immunisations - here they still do MMR at 13/14 months - taking DD for hers next week. I would complain loudly

Longtail - it's not recommended to give antipyretics after vaccines. Iirc they stop the vaccine working as well or something. Someone else may have a link/ more info for you

I have made a complaint - though my main concerns are with the lack of care and attention - the nurse didn't even ask my child's name and clearly wasn't paying attention as she wrote the details of a 3 mth old baby in our red book.

If she can make a mistake like that, how do I know she administered the vaccines correctly? Very unlikely that she didn't, but it doesn't leave me full of confidence.

In terms of trusting the GP's and nurses at our surgery, I feel I'll need be on 'red alert' at our next appointment and question/double check everything.

I used to have such confidence in the NHS - do other mums out there treat their GP's with suspicion and question absolutely everything? As though we don't have enough to worry about already ...

Exactly the same thing nearly happened to me on tue, completely by chance mentioned leaving MMR for a few months and was thwarted at the last minute.
My son is still feverish now from the jabs he did have so lucky escape for us.

Longtail - it's not recommended to give antipyretics after vaccines.

Well, it certainly is by the NHS!

Hi longtail - sorry don't have time to look up the study itself but here's a link to one of the articles about it - here

It pretty much backs up the current NICE guidelines which don't recommend using antipyretics solely to reduce a fever - only for discomfort. The fever is there for a reason!

"Theres no need to sign a written consent. You are consenting by way of taking your child for vaccinations."

Merely just turning up does not imply consent - you may have some questions you want answered, or unaware of what the process is. You may need access to, or need to know how to obtain information to allow you to make an informed decision. If I was aware of the following document prior to vaccination, then I may not have consented, so in effect the consent I did provide was not valid (although I have not studied all of the applicable parts relevant to me, so I may still ahve consented had the existance of this document been made known to me):

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_079917

Thanks for that link, Surreydad. I haven't come across that website before.

So, do they advise of the risks prior to vaccination for each jab?
I don't know how to copy and paste, but chapter 2 says anyone giving a jab without consent could leave himself open to legal action. (halfway down page 9).

Absolutely, information about each immunisation should be given and verbal agreement sought ( which is what I said further down the thread but I was quoted out of context)

'For young children not competent to give or withhold consent, such consent can be given by a person with parental responsibility, provided that person is capable of consenting to the immunisation in question and is able to communicate their decision. Where this person brings the child in response to an invitation for immunisation and, following an appropriate consultation, presents the child for that immunisation, these actions may be considered evidence of consent.' (DH 2007 p.10)

Hi there, sorry this has happened to you it would be quite a shock I'd expect.

I have never had to sign consent for either of my children's jabs. Is there even a space for this in the red book?

Usually the nurse has shown me each vaccination vial and kind of announced each jab as she's done it. I knew in advance the trade name of the vaccine so was just confirming it really.