Strange visit to nurse for injections today...

[TheChickenLady]

My DP took DD for her 4 month jab this afternoon, bless him, and the nurse asked him the following questions:

Where is her mother? Are you married? Can I speak to your wife? Are you comfortable with comforting her after the injection? When did you last visit the surgery?

Does anyone else think this is a bit odd? Admittedly he didn?t have the red book with him, but even so, the injection she was booked in for tallied with their computer records, so it wasn?t as if there was any cause for concern. Also, I?ve taken them myself in the past without the red book and not had a problem.

We?re all registered with the same GP, have the same surname and address etc, so surely they should expect to see either of us with the children without raising an eyebrow.

Strange.

That is a bit odd to say the least.

prob cos you are not married (i assume you are not as you say dp not dh), they may have to be careful over parental responsibility

"ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH COMFORTING HER AFTER THE INJECTION"

WTF?

I have to give my bloody written consent for exp to take mine for jabs - he is on their birth certificates.

peskpiksie is probably right then, it is about parental responsibility. The father doesn't automatically have this even if they are on the birth certificate, unless the child was born after December 2003. (Obviously your dc was, but perhaps the surgery does not have the birth certificate information).

Nope, married.

Sorry have only joined a few months ago, got the terminology wrong.

A very old female fashioned nurse then?

LOL old-fashioned female nurse even

god, what a horrible way to be treated when you're dealing with your own children!

I think SAHDs get a rougher ride from SAHMs

Married, same address, same surname, same GP, and they have a computerised system, so all this should have been in front of them?

How RUDE! If I was him I'd have asked to see someone who was born after the discovery that the world wasn't flat!

Hope your LO is okay after the jabs!

I'd have thought even the most old-fashioned female nurse would stop at a casual "oh your wife's not here then" comment.

I felt guilty like I should have been there or something, (for all of ten seconds, then I got angry).

thats just wierd then. is it the first time she met him? maybe she thought he would freak out? my hv knows me quite well but has only met dh briefly so maybe would be a bit more nervous of how he would react? or maybe she is just extremely old fashioned/rude

Dh took ds for his 4 month jabs too as I had to go into work for a meeting. You would have thought, by the HVs reaction, that no man had ever set foot in the surgery before. They were beside themselves and treated him like some sort of god-like Superdad.

She still bloody mentions it every time I see her.

blardy hell

I would complain about that actually.

How did your dh feel about it all?

Dh had to take dd to the doctors this week and they didn't mention a thing (although he did manage to get antibiotics for her ear infection - something I have always failed to do ).

I wonder if there is some sort of new policy within the NHS? I only say this because in our surgery there is a fairly new notice with lots of bold type and highlights. Basically says if anyone other than the child's mother brings him or her for injections then they must have written permission from the mother. Maybe someone who works in this area will know more?

omg that is just ridiculous

SURELY that cannot be true

Surely that is discriminatory against fathers?

my dh used to take my dc as I hated it and used to get very upset. He was never questioned like that, it fact the only comment was "oh you got the short straw then?"

Spookthief, I'm glad he's not the only one who's treated like that.

I might mention it to the health visitor next time I see her and see if there's a recent change in policy then. It's a real pain if so as DH always takes them for their jabs (I'm too soft).

Thanks for your replies, I wasn't sure whether I was being defensive.

On our invitations the card must be presented and if it is anyone other than the parent or guardian attending it must have a parental signature on to say that you consent.

Maybe if she is not familiar with your DP she was just going a bit above and beyond in checking that there was consent - particularly if he didn't have the invitaion/red book, she may not have known he was the father?

Although a simple - are you her father would have surficed? and the "are you comfotable comforting her was surely way unnecessary. I am sure many fathers would actually be more comfortable comforting after jabs than the mothers.

You have to get a signature in the red book if someone other than a parent is going to take the child for jabs, but since he was a parent, the HV is just being a plank!