FILES on hundreds of 'single jab' North-East children missing

MEDICAL records belonging to hundreds of North-East youngsters who have received single measles, mumps and rubella injections have been stolen from a private clinic.

The break-in at the Liverpool offices of Direct Health 2000 took place several weeks ago - but only now has it been revealed that the records taken were those compiled during vaccination sessions held in Darlington.

More than 800 youngsters from across the North-East have undergone the single injections programme because their parents do not trust the Government's preferred method of a combined jab.

News that Merseyside Police are investigating the theft came as company officials claimed a bugging device had been found at Direct Health 2000's London offices.

A laptop containing medical records and back-up documents were stolen during the Liverpool burglary in February but, surprisingly, prescription pads, drugs and money were left behind.

The company was back in the region at the weekend and hundreds of children returned to Darlington's private Woodlands Hospital for their second course of injections in the single vaccine programme.

The parents of the youngsters have all decided they would rather pay for single injections than allow their children to have the combined MMR jab, which some claim is linked to autism. Officials have already clashed with regional NHS bosses over allegations of scaremongering over the single jabs.

Yesterday, a spokeswoman for the company said the popularity of the jabs was an embarrassment to the Department of Health.

Kathryn Durnford said: "It won't have escaped the Government that we are in Alan Milburn's constituency again this weekend and just six miles from Tony Blair's constituency.

"They are worried that the demand for the single jabs is continuing to rise.

"We're very concerned about this burglary. All our patient records are confidential.

"We have no disgruntled employees or industrial competitors. We can only think someone believes that we have powerful information they can use."

Following the break-in, Direct Health 2000, which operates the UK's only chain of private clinics offering separate jabs, called in security investigators.

The company said a sweep of its office in Greenwich, London, two weeks ago uncovered a small black transmitter next to the main administration desk.

Police have admitted they are baffled about the motives for the bug or the strange break-in.

In the latest round of Darlington injections, several hundred parents turned up with their children.

Ms Durnford said: "The demand for single vaccinations is still incredibly high, and we may well start a third round of vaccinations later in the year.

"The steady flow of inquiries continues to demonstrate that many parent are still not convinced that the triple vaccine is safe."

A Department of Health spokeswoman refused to comment on the allegations.

Mother-of-three Jane Gray, who is pregnant with her fourth child, was surprised to hear of the break-in.

Mrs Gray and her husband Shane, of Yarm, near Stockton, took daughters Amy, two, and Sophie, three, to one of the Direct Health 2000 clinics in Darlington.

Mrs Gray said: "It seems a strange thing to steal. I can't understand why anyone would want a child's medical records.