Calls for Australian Breastfeeding Association to have clearer policy on immunisation BREASTFEEDING counsellors are being allowed to work with newborn babies without being vaccinated. The Australian Breastfeeding Association has no firm requirement for their workers to be immunised against diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella. The situation came to light after a counsellor sought advice on a secret, member's only anti-vaccination Facebook site on how to skirt a local hospital's immunisation policy for health care workers and volunteers so that her toddler could continue to visit the newborn unit at Orange Base Hospital. Leave us your thoughts and have your say below... "Need some ammunition," the ABA counsellor wrote on to the Australian Network For Non Vaccination group. My local hospital wants all volunteers visiting maternity to be vaccinated and their visiting kids. They can't impose this can they? Appreciate any ideas. One member suggested she lie, while another answered simply: "Trash the place." Former ABA member Dr Anne Coady, a mother herself, called on the association to have a clear policy on immunisation for counsellors. "This is a very serious matter, particularly because of the risk of transmission of pertussis to newborns too young to be immunised," Dr Coady told the ABA. I think it's a disregard for any potential risk. Mothers have a right to expect that someone acting as an agent of the ABA is safe and not a potential source of infection for their infants. I would have assumed a representative of the breastfeeding association would not be introducing any extra risk. NSW Health confirmed it has a policy directive for immunisation and screening of health care workers, clinical personnel, students and volunteers to minimise the risk of spreading disease. "The hospital requires all volunteers that have contact with patients or enter clinical areas to comply with our policy by demonstrating their immunity to vaccine preventable diseases," a spokesman for NSW Health said. Judy Robinson, Risk Manager from the Western NSW Local Health District, said the ABA counsellor was no longer visiting Orange Base Hospital and the hospital had dealt with the breach. "Given that the child is not immunised, it is inappropriate and a breach of NSW Health policy for him to visit Orange Health Service Maternity Ward with his mother as part of her Australian Breastfeeding Association counselling duties," Ms Robinson said.. In an email on September 10, the counsellor asked the Orange Health Service for an exemption to the policy stating that her son is not immunised due to medical reasons. This was rejected by the Orange Health Service," she said. Meredith Laverty from the ABA said it had a position statement recommending immunisation, but they do not know which of their councillors were vaccinated. The issue of immunisation attracts a dichotomy of views and the depths of these views are held across the breadth of the ABA. Importantly, the association does not elevate, nor promote one view above another. The immunisation status of our volunteers is a complex issue and there are a number of variables that we are awaiting further clarification from our advisors. Ms Laverty said the ABA will consider a draft position on immunisation at its next board meeting.