{"id":5944,"date":"2017-03-08T10:42:22","date_gmt":"2017-03-07T23:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.rch.org.au\/news\/?p=5944"},"modified":"2017-03-08T10:44:36","modified_gmt":"2017-03-07T23:44:36","slug":"poll-finds-unvaccinated-kids-being-refused-care-by-health-care-providers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.rch.org.au\/news\/poll-finds-unvaccinated-kids-being-refused-care-by-health-care-providers\/","title":{"rendered":"Poll finds unvaccinated kids being refused care by health care providers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>New research reveals a worrying pattern of practice in Australian health care in which some unvaccinated children are being refused care by health care providers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The latest Australian Child Health Poll has found that one in six Australian children who are not up-to-date with their vaccines have been refused care by a health care provider.<\/p>\n

Director of the Child Health Poll, paediatrician Dr Anthea Rhodes said that while in the United States a clinician\u2019s right to refuse care to an unvaccinated child has been a topic for some time, this poll suggests a worrying pattern of practice not previously identified in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll children, regardless of their vaccination status, have an equal right to health care,\u201d Dr Rhodes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile some medical professionals will argue that unvaccinated children can present a risk to other patients, we must remember that children aren\u2019t making these choices about vaccination for themselves. By turning them away, health care providers not only deny health care to a child, but remove the possibility of educating parents and helping them to eventually choose to vaccinate,\u201d Dr Rhodes added.<\/p>\n

Other key findings show that:<\/p>\n