Last Wednesday may daughter fell really ill during the night. She had a terribly sore throat, a red rash and was becoming breathless. It was 5am and I was really concerned about her, so I called NHS Direct for advice.
They advised me that my daughter may have a serious infection of her tonsils and that the best thing to do would be to go get her checked out at an A&E.
On arrival a nurse did the usual checks--blood pressure etc.. Frustratingly, the nurse was quite dismissive of my daughter's condition and when I informed her that we had been referred by NHS Direct, she said: don't you mean NHS Redirect"?
When the Doctor arrived to examine my daughter, he too was very dismissive and made me felt uncomfortable and stupid for being there. Again I heard animosity towards NHS Direct. This experience was confounded by the fact that the same Doctor was perfectly lovely and caring towards a patient next to us. Inequality of care or what? In the end the Doctor told us to go to GP prescribed a dose of penicillin.
After not being asked about or assessed for reactions to penicillin, my daughter became swollen and developed a red rash all over her body whilst at college a few days later. This was an allergic reaction to the penicillin and required my daughter had to take antihistamines to reduce the swelling.
I was simply concerned about my daughter's health and I don't expect to be made to feel stupid and subjected to the animosity of NHS infighting, whilst receiving care for my daughter.
"Nurse dismissive when we told her about NHS Direct"
About: NHS Direct NHS Trust NHS Direct NHS Trust E1 8EU Torbay Hospital / Accident and emergency Torbay Hospital Accident and emergency Torquay TQ2 7AA
Posted by Melting951 (as ),
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