An update to my previously blogged about vaccination dilemma.
I went to see the practise nurse today (they’re in charge of the immunisation schedule at that practise so that’s who you have to see). She really wasn’t interested in what I had to say, didn’t read the printouts I’d carefully prepared to back my arguments and told me that Infanrix was not a licensed vaccine for primary vaccination and it was “not surgery policy to administer non-licensed vaccines”. She then handed me a pre-printed NHS factsheet on Thiomersal and Vaccines.
Now I’m really cross.
Not because they said no, but yet again I’ve either been lied to or they are woefully ignorant on the licensing of the drugs they keep on their premises. Either way, it’s not exactly a good sign for a doctor’s surgery, do you think? Ironically, the factsheet she handed me had Infanrix as a listed thiomersal free alternative available on the NHS on page 4.
Had they said “sorry, we don’t do it, it’s too expensive and the cost doesn’t justify any perceived benefits” or “sorry, we’re not allowed to give it until the stockpile of thiomersal ones has run out” then I would have shrugged my shoulders, muttered a lot and started plan B for getting it done privately.
Instead I am writing a very stroppy letter to my GP and already planning letters to my MP, local press and anyone else I think might be interested should that route fail. I’m fired up and feeling bloody-minded enough to see this through to the bitter end.
Bring it on.
11 responses so far ↓
1 tangerinecath // 21st Jun 2004 at 10:46 pm
Stick to your guns girl – this should be your choice not theirs – especially as they don’t seem to know what they’re talking about!
2 Blue Witch // 21st Jun 2004 at 10:58 pm
Good for you Pewari.
Go for it.
3 Anonymous // 21st Jun 2004 at 11:38 pm
Go get ‘em! I’m behind you all the way. I think taht if they even half-bothered to explain things properly, and truthfully, they’d have far greater public support on all sorts of issues. It’s the patronising that gets to me. There are exceptions, but you have to convince them that you’ve thought through your argument and that you’re not just an air-head jumping on a band-waggon. *goes off mumbling and raving about the Nanny State*
4 Jane // 22nd Jun 2004 at 7:00 am
Go girl!
5 Daisy // 22nd Jun 2004 at 3:48 pm
How about an email/phone call to Radio 4′s You and yours (12 midday daily)?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/
6 Miss L // 22nd Jun 2004 at 5:42 pm
‘You and yours’ sounds a good idea, stick to your guns and point out the anomally in their argument. They don’t help themselves do they?!!!
7 Paula // 22nd Jun 2004 at 9:10 pm
Pewari, don’t you let them bully you! Keep on at them. I can’t understand why they are being like this when I got my twins Infanrix without having to ask twice, maybe I was the only one asking? Anyway, if I had another baby again I would ask for it and expect to get it. (We live near Edinburgh so I don’t know if this comes under the postcode lottery I’ve heard of but they are gambling with babies health here.)
I hate that patronising tosh that some nurses, doctors etc. come out with. It is like saying “Don’t bother us with your silly ideas, we are the professionals not you!” You know the NHS spend a fortune giving drug addicts methadone but find giving safe alternates to baby vaccines too expensive. Prioritise folks!
Like everyone has said, you stick to your guns and make it a very stroppy letter!
8 Pewari // 22nd Jun 2004 at 10:30 pm
Very snotty letter duly written and sent before I could chicken out. Actually, I think I managed firm but polite. I guess we’ll know when I get asked to find another doctor’s surgery!
The “You and Yours” sounds good, but realistically with the logistics of phoning up at 12 noon with a toddler clamouring for lunch (and probably champing at the bit to leave for nursery) and a baby only half settled and BOUND to wake up at the crucial moment it’s probably not going to happen. Let’s see what response I get from this letter. If it fails then we’ll go privately but write to MPs etc so hopefully others won’t have to do the same fight.
9 Blue Witch // 23rd Jun 2004 at 10:45 am
BW Blue Star Pewari. Well done you :)
10 sylvia // 24th Jun 2004 at 12:58 am
you go girl!
11 Daisy // 24th Jun 2004 at 4:06 pm
Well done on the letter Pewari, let them just *dare* ask you to change surgeries!
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