UK: GP's getting confused re vaccination

[Guest guest]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/21/doctors-warned-immunisation-mixups

Doctors warned to take more care after 108 immunisation

mix-upsSurvey uncovers cases where doctors gave patients the

wrong vaccine, the wrong dose or injected them without consent

Denis

, health correspondent

guardian.co.uk, Monday 21 February 2011 00.01 GMT

A young boy receives the MMR jab. A new survey has uncovered many

mix-ups over vaccinations. Photograph: Jeff J /Getty Images

GPs and nurses have been urged to take more care with

immunisations after 108 patients, mostly children, were found to have

suffered a mix-up when receiving vaccines such as MMR.

Cases have involved the wrong child getting a jab, a wrong vaccine being

used and under-18s being vaccinated without their parents'

consent.

A survey by the Medical Defence Union (MDU), which defends

doctors accused of malpractice, found family doctors had been

involved in immunisation blunders affecting 98 children and 10 adults in

the last five years:

• In 56 cases, the wrong vaccine was given by either the GP orr practice

nurse, for whom the doctor is liable. Some children received the vaccine

for meningitis when they should have had the three-in-one measles, mumps

and rubella injection, while three were given the wrong flu vaccine. In a

few cases, the wrong child was called through from the waiting-room and

then immunised

• In 19 cases, neither the child's parents nor the patients thhemselves

had consented – 16 of them received the MMR jab despite thheir parents

not wanting them to have it

• In 14 cases, a wrong dose was given, such as a repeat dose oof MMR when

the child had already had it

• In nine cases, the vaccine was given at the wrong time, suchh as MMR to

a six month-old baby, seven or eight months too early.

" In most of the cases the child or adult had to be monitored for any

ill-effects from the wrong vaccine, wrong dose and so on, " said the

Dawn Boyall of the MDU. " Obviously this will have caused some

anxiety and inconvenience for the patients and parents

concerned. "

Adverse reactions to the vaccination occurred in only four cases, mostly

adults, including an asthmatic who felt poorly after getting a flu jab.

But the patient had to be reimmunised with the right vaccine in the 56

cases involving a wrong drug, which caused them more discomfort, she

added.

In most cases, the parents complained and the GP's surgery apologised and

monitored the child. The real figures will be higher because the MDU is

just one of three organisations representing doctors, although it acts

for over half the GPs in Britain.

In new guidance it advises GPs to take greater caution before

administering a vaccine, such as checking the patient's medical records

and taking their full medical history.

The Department of Health said the

NHS, while doing an excellent job in delivering the seasonal

flu jabs, should make fewer mistakes.

" Reducing the administration errors to even lower levels would help

improve the programme further " , said a spokeswoman. " It is the

responsibility of the doctor or nurse giving the vaccine to check and

ensure it is the right vaccine for the patient. "

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian

Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Washington State, USA

Vaccines -

http://vaccinationdangers.wordpress.com/ Homeopathy

http://homeopathycures.wordpress.com

Vaccine Dangers, Childhood Disease Classes & Homeopathy

Online/email courses - next classes start March 4

[Guest guest]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/21/doctors-warned-immunisation-mixups

Doctors warned to take more care after 108 immunisation

mix-upsSurvey uncovers cases where doctors gave patients the

wrong vaccine, the wrong dose or injected them without consent

Denis

, health correspondent

guardian.co.uk, Monday 21 February 2011 00.01 GMT

A young boy receives the MMR jab. A new survey has uncovered many

mix-ups over vaccinations. Photograph: Jeff J /Getty Images

GPs and nurses have been urged to take more care with

immunisations after 108 patients, mostly children, were found to have

suffered a mix-up when receiving vaccines such as MMR.

Cases have involved the wrong child getting a jab, a wrong vaccine being

used and under-18s being vaccinated without their parents'

consent.

A survey by the Medical Defence Union (MDU), which defends

doctors accused of malpractice, found family doctors had been

involved in immunisation blunders affecting 98 children and 10 adults in

the last five years:

• In 56 cases, the wrong vaccine was given by either the GP orr practice

nurse, for whom the doctor is liable. Some children received the vaccine

for meningitis when they should have had the three-in-one measles, mumps

and rubella injection, while three were given the wrong flu vaccine. In a

few cases, the wrong child was called through from the waiting-room and

then immunised

• In 19 cases, neither the child's parents nor the patients thhemselves

had consented – 16 of them received the MMR jab despite thheir parents

not wanting them to have it

• In 14 cases, a wrong dose was given, such as a repeat dose oof MMR when

the child had already had it

• In nine cases, the vaccine was given at the wrong time, suchh as MMR to

a six month-old baby, seven or eight months too early.

" In most of the cases the child or adult had to be monitored for any

ill-effects from the wrong vaccine, wrong dose and so on, " said the

Dawn Boyall of the MDU. " Obviously this will have caused some

anxiety and inconvenience for the patients and parents

concerned. "

Adverse reactions to the vaccination occurred in only four cases, mostly

adults, including an asthmatic who felt poorly after getting a flu jab.

But the patient had to be reimmunised with the right vaccine in the 56

cases involving a wrong drug, which caused them more discomfort, she

added.

In most cases, the parents complained and the GP's surgery apologised and

monitored the child. The real figures will be higher because the MDU is

just one of three organisations representing doctors, although it acts

for over half the GPs in Britain.

In new guidance it advises GPs to take greater caution before

administering a vaccine, such as checking the patient's medical records

and taking their full medical history.

The Department of Health said the

NHS, while doing an excellent job in delivering the seasonal

flu jabs, should make fewer mistakes.

" Reducing the administration errors to even lower levels would help

improve the programme further " , said a spokeswoman. " It is the

responsibility of the doctor or nurse giving the vaccine to check and

ensure it is the right vaccine for the patient. "

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian

Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Washington State, USA

Vaccines -

http://vaccinationdangers.wordpress.com/ Homeopathy

http://homeopathycures.wordpress.com

Vaccine Dangers, Childhood Disease Classes & Homeopathy

Online/email courses - next classes start March 4