AN AIRBUS 320 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A DEFERRED ITEM ON THE INOP FUEL USED INDICATOR IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

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DURING COCKPIT SET-UP I DISCOVERED THE #1 FUEL USED (TOTALIZER) ON THE LOWER ECAM ENG PAGE HAD AN AMBER LINE THROUGH IT. THIS; ALONG WITH A 'ZERO' INDICATION; LED ME TO SUSPECT IT WAS INOP. MAINT IN ZZZ WAS CALLED; AND THEY DISPATCHED AN ACR MECH TO LOOK AT IT. THE CAPT LOOKED UP THE DISCREPANCY IN THE MEL BOOK. THE ACR MECH PERFORMED THE REQUIRED SYS TESTS; AND SIGNED OFF THE DISCREPANCY IN THE LOGBOOK. THE DISPATCHER IN COMPANY MAINT REGISTERED THE MEL AND SIGNED OFF THE COMPANY RADIO FREQ. WHILE THE CAPT WAS RESEARCHING THE MEL; I RECALL HIM SAYING SOMETHING LIKE 'IF THE FUEL USED INDICATION IS BAD; THE FUEL FLOW IS ALSO GOING TO BE INOP.' I THOUGHT THE TWO WERE RELATED; AND THE RELIEF PROVIDED BY THE MEL FOR THE FUEL USED INDICATION ALSO APPLIED TO ANY FUTURE FUEL FLOW INDICATION PROB. WHEN WE STARTED THE #1 ENG; THE #1 FUEL FLOW INDICATOR ON THE UPPER ECAM WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. WE TAXIED OUT AND TOOK OFF WITH THE FUEL FLOW INDICATOR INOP. I DIDN'T THINK TO QUESTION IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT MEL RELIEF WAS PROVIDED WITH THE PREVIOUS FUEL USED INDICATOR WRITE-UP. ALSO; THE CAPT'S COMMENTS WHILE HE HAD THE MEL BOOK OPEN; IE; 'THE FUEL FLOW WILL PROBABLY BE INOP ALSO' LED ME TO BELIEVE WE HAD MEL RELIEF. DURING CRUISE; THE CAPT LOOKED THROUGH THE MEL BOOK AGAIN AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THERE WAS NO MEL RELIEF FOR AN INOP FUEL FLOW GAUGE. WE HAD POSSIBLY TAKEN OFF WITH A NO-GO ITEM.