I have to put in writing that I am taking responsibility for the risk that my baby might die from not vaccination

[StarlightMcKenzie]

The exact words the nurse spoke!?

I'll put something in writing if that is what they want but not that.

Apparently they have a duty to inform the HV of the risks that I am taking and have I heard the recent news oday of all the babies dying?

I'm bloody cross with this nurse tbh.

You don't have to put anything in writing.

You are not compelled to do so.

You could ask her to put in writing that she can categorically state that there will be no adverse effects from vaccinatins, ever .......

Which vaccinations and why do you not want your baby to have them? Genuinely curious...

Very tempting. Didn't like her attitude tbh but expect she was only doing her job as she is trained to do it, so will probably just write:

'For your file: We have chosen not to continue with the vaccination programme for our 3 children for the time being. Our decision is under constant review and we'll let you know if and when we change our minds.'

Very complicated reasons having and pretty much a different reason for each vaccine. Which is why I didn't take up the nurse's offer of an appointment to chat about it.

I had to do that for the one vaccine my dc didn't have as well.
it's arse covering and making sure the parent made the decision as informed as can be.

My GP asked me to write in so he could get the HA off his back. I sent him quite a long missive (as I misunderstood and thought he wanted me to justify our decision) and he said 'good grief a few lines would have done'

So it may be that she is being hassled by the HA. In which case a letter shows them that she's done her job iyswim.

By the way having a sign never gives the impression of genuinity.

What's made you come to that decision? What's the vaccinations? How olds baby?

Pretty sure you don't have to put anything in writing. Very strange thing to request.

I think that's the sort of thing my GP wanted starlight. Rather than the tome I sent him

I don't mind being asked to put it in writing. I DO mind being told I HAVE to put it in writing coupled with a scare story and panicked voice to either frighten me into jabbing my kids for health reasons or simply for authority reasons.

I'd love to see what your wrote. Is it on your blog saintly?

Grrr, she's really rubbed me up the wrong way. Didn't appreciate the long drawn out bit about babies dying everywhere atm from WC.

The last I read was 13, and whilst sad, is a lot more complicated than who is vaccinating or not.

How odd

I've never been asked why I've made the choice I have. My HV just said 'Oh ok, well I'll take you off the mailing list if you don't want the appointments, just let me know if you change your mind'.

Its kind of, erm, impertinent of them to insist on having it in writing. They don't demand written consent with reasons from every parent who chooses to vaccinate (do they?).

God no, think it was in the days before blogging

Funnily that GP ended up becoming quite anti vaccination (we used to -argue discuss it. Then something happened in his life and he seemed to change his attitude towards vaccination a bit, or maybe a lot. He left the practice unfortunately.

I think the nurse is just doing her job in Public Health TBH.

The wording, while shockingly blunt is proper order really in my book - I mean you are acting against conventional medical wisdom and also endangering the population by not adhering to the public health programs for disease eradication.

In some ways just saying you are responsible for your own childrens' disease status doesn't go far enough in my very humble opinion.

Now I'm not trolling you or flaming: vaccinations are proved to eradicate public diseases, and they only work if everyone gets them.
And that includes your kids too. If there are medical reasons, such as egg allergy or intolerance, there are controlled conditions where the vaccines may be safely administered. Maybe you do need to talk to the nurse about it.

Of course if you have issues with that, and have just decided not to vaccinate your children, we'll have to agree to disagree. But we have come on most wonderfully in reducing infant mortality with scientific advances such as vaccines, and it's a shame not to use those advances to protect your children, and by doing so, everyone elses' too.

Your very good health!

ask them to put in writing that if your DC's do have the vaccine they definatly WON"T die.
no ive never been asked anything like this and my kids have had no vaccines (nor have i)
surely just to cover her arse but telling you horror stories is not on.

Well your baby might die if you don't vaccinate. Small chance but that is why the NHS has immunizations. WC kills. Diphtheria kills. Measles kills. At least stand up for your convictions and say yes "I understand the risks. These diseases are life threatening but I opt out of immunization until further notice"

I haven't been asked to put anything in writing either and indeed it's never been raised since DCs were infants.

But there was the time I went for a post natal smear and when I was getting dressed the nurse started asking me if baby's vaccinations were up to date. I politely told her I was there for a smear and any discussions about vaccinations would take place with the doctor not now when I was half naked.

i don't recall the OP asking for a lecture on why she should vaccinate her children.
you really should not advise people to do something that anyone with half a brain knows isn't 100% safe.

Well I don't care if her kids are vaccinated TBH or the OP's reasons but the risk from the disease is a real and present danger. The worst outcome is death and so the nurse = not unreasonable IMO.

I don't see your problem, your baby may die from not having vaccines, you are obviously aware of this so why not just write the note.

If you want starlight I can ask my friend who is a practice nurse. Her kids are largely unvaccinated so she'll have taken an interest in vaccine refusal and will be aware of what is required and when practices are just being difficult. FWIW I didn't mind giving my GP the letter, as he made it clear that it was just for him to be able to get the HA to stop sending reminders (and indeed I stopped receiving them). It may be that it varies from HA to HA.

I don't undersand people who do not vaccinate their children.

It baffles me, still I would never want anyone to be forced to do it.

I think the nurse overstepped the mark, maybe you can just write a note saying you have decided nt to vaccinate, without justifying it, but just for their records.

I could not bring myself to write something so biased as 'I understand my child might die or become disabled from not having a jab' unless I included 'and that he also might die or become disabled from a result of having it', which would probably be worse than just 'decided not to, live with it'.