MMR - Finding a clinic for the single jabs

[Oldmummy]

Please can someone help me? We've agonised over the decision about whether to MMR or not for our dd - the discussion threads on Mumsnet have helped - and having decided that we'll go for the single jabs, can't find anyone who can tell us how to find a clinic that offers them in our area (Bristol). Have been stonewalled by my own clinic, GP and children's hospital, and have spoken today to the Institute of Child Health, the Royal College of GPs and several local private hospitals, all of whom claim ignorance. I've tried a basic search on the web, but have no idea whether the places I am turning up are reputable. Is there a reliable central source for all this, or can anyone please recommend anywhere in our area?

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We went to Action Medical Clinic in Bath. The doctor who does the jabs is an A&E doctor in Weston-super-Mare. He and the clinic seemed reputable and dd has been fine since all her jabs.

Details are : 10 Argyle St, Bath Tel 01225 448348, their website

Oldmummy - I took my dd for single jabs in Bristol thru Wellcare, but believe they have now stopped offering single jabs.
My sis went to Direct Health in Bath - all are featured on the Jabs website, as providid by Twiglett. Think Direct Health do an outreach clinic in Clifton too, so worth checking out

I'm in Kent - does anyone have any recommendations for tried and tested clinics in Kent or London, please? How long does the whole process take?

ooh yes please. My previously lovely HV came over all fascist when I said that we were probably going for single jabs and has not been helpful at all in suggesting how we might do this. We live in London too.

Gilli, we went to Direct Health 2000, which is in Eltham - easily accessible from Kent and much of S and E London. We were very impressed by the Director of this independent clinic, who has sound personal reasons for taking an interest in the single jabs issue (rather than being purely demand/market-led IYSWIM). This is their website . Ds1 was done two and a half years ago, was one of their first clients, and had no problems with his single jabs. We fully intend using them for our next baby and will probably also pick their brains about mercury-free alternatives to some of the other immunisations. In fact I see from their updated website that they are already on the case in this respect!

Thanks Marina!

I also went to Direct Health 2000 and was very happy but they have no mumps jabs at present because, I think, of gvt interferance. However, I was most worried about measles and am pretty unconcerned about mumps. He will get the vaccine eventually.

Does anyone have a contact number for clinics/doctors in north/central london offering single jabs ?

Twiglett,Leese and Caroline5 - thanks so much for the leads! www.jabs.org.uk is great, emailed me straight back with several contacts in my area. All I have contacted so far have run out of Mumps vaccine, though all seem confident about getting some by the time comes for that vaccination (6 months). Plus there seems to be a loophole for getting it on the NHS : at the moment the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has overturned the complete ban on single dose measles and mumps vaccines in the following situations:

a) where a child has already started on a course of single dose vaccines

b) where the child has a special need, such as an allergic reaction, that makes the licensed product unsuitable.

Technically therefore, if a baby has had the Measles & Rubella vaccines privately but has been unable to complete the course because of non-availability privately, it seems we can throw ourselves back on the mercy of our GP, who appears more or less obliged to supply it. Has anyone had experience of using this loophole, to prove it works?

I believe Dr. Douek at the Portland Hospital (020.7390.8310) does single jabs. He's not cheap.
I'm a believer in the MMR, so didn't use him for that, but had an extra jab (pneumococal meningitis) not offered by the nhs done by him privately.

Thanks everyone. I had first three children done years ago, but that was before the scare stories, and I'm feeling uneasy about MMR for No4....

Thanks SofiaAmes

Just to add Oldmummy - Direct Health in Bath/Bristol were good as they did not take you on unless they actually had the three jabs available to give. Wellcare, on the other hand, were happy to start with the Rubella then measles, then had a long wait for the mumps. My friend, who went to a clinic in Preston waited so long for the mumps jab, she ended up paying for another complete course at direct health, just to get the mumps jab