to expect to be able to find a doctor to see a child, in the uk, closer than 15 miles and less than a 4 hour wait?

[SheelaNeGig]

Shes actually not ill as such but does have spreading infected skin rash. (but imagine if she was ill?)

And 15 miles and 4 hours wait away isn't a Doctor but a triage nurse. I think it needs more than a nurse prescriber considering the fucidin isn't working and she can't take anything orally. But not ill enough to endure a 4 hour wait.

The NHS is in trouble isn't it.

[wonkylegs]

Where are you? Because that certainly isn't the case here.

[SheelaNeGig]

Witlshire.

Local minor injuries was closed 5 years ago. Now if you need medical help it is 15 miles away.

No doctors at the weekend.

4 hour wait.

Outrageous.

[hopenglory]

I guess if she was properly ill it wouldn't be a 4 hour wait?

It's different systems in different parts of the country. I can't fault our OOH system down here having had recent experience of it

[RillaBlythe]

So she's not actually ill but you expect a full medical team when you click your fingers?

[Whitecherry]

It's not like that here either!

Are you rural? Where did you expect/hope to be sent to?

[BlueyDragon]

Not the case here either, in Surrey. But I do think you are being a bit unreasonable - your child isn't ill enough to be an emergency case as you say they're not sick enough to wait 4 hours. It's the weekend and the level of cover is aimed at emergencies. Have you tried the pharmacist or NHS Direct?

[Jinsei]

Not the case here, thankfully. We have a walk-in centre in town, about two miles away from our house. You get seen by the triage nurse immediately and then have to wait if it's less urgent than the other patients who need to be seen. I've also called the out-of-hours number before, and have always been phoned back quite quickly.

Is it because you've said that your dc isn't ill, I wonder, so they haven't prioritised her case?

[knackeredmother]

Well it is the case where I am in the midlands, I sympathise OP. I hope she gets better soon.

[SheelaNeGig]

Not outraged for her. Shes fine to wait. I phoned for advice and its a 4 hour wait for triage.
Its outrageous that if a child was ill they'd have to wait. After driving 15 miles. And still not see a dr.

[SheelaNeGig]

What do people who have to work do?

There is a gap between emergency, really ill, need to be seen now cases. And ones that can wait.

[OldGreyWiffleTest]

It's the same here in Devon. Nearest small hospital (no A&E, no x-ray) 8 miles. Nearest main hospital 20 miles.

[Tuttutitlookslikerain]

It's not like that here and we live in the arse end of no where.

I guess if your child actually was ill, she wouldn't have to wait 4 hours!

[Whitecherry]

What do you think should happen then?

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

But if a child WAS ill they'd surely be seen more quickly. It's because your child isn't ill that she would have to wait. No? Did I misunderstand?

[TidyGOLDDancer]

Not the case here either. In an emergency the care is pretty good.

As you say, it's not an emergency in this case. And I'm sure it would be different if your DD was ill. There are other options then.

[ivykaty44]

I am in the midlands and there is a walk in center 10 miles away, there is a doctor out of hours half a mile away and a&e half a mile away. I am situated in a town though so maybe different if located in the country side.

[Aethelfleda]

The NHs has been trying to make ends meet for years due to a funding deficit (medical needs increasing, population increasing, medical costs increasing, taxation income can't keep up).

For over a decade one of the major ways they have saved money is by substituting doctors with "not-doctors-but-almost" practitioners. I'm not going to imply these chaps aren't competent, they get training and have defined roles (nurse practitioners, paramedics, prescrbing pharmacists). The point is they are cheaper than fully qualified doctors, so using them reduces the number of doctors the health authority has to employ. It's a way of keeping the system going. The down side is yes, it is harder to see a doctor in some circumstances. The only way to change this system is for people to object to it in a way that results in change.

So fair do's OP, but it's the system that has altered due to politics and health authority decisions over decades. dr Finlay is I'm afraid a thing of the past.

[BoffinMum]

Want Dr Finlay!
Miss Dr Finlay!
Hate the weekend heathcare hiatus!

[BoffinMum]

Wonder why pharmacies can't provide some sort of service where doctors do remote online consultations from a central point, backed up by pharmacists doing some of the more routine investigations? With communication between the two regarding upgrading of prescriptions and so on?

[SheelaNeGig]

The wait is 4 hours. Whether ill or not. I suppose if said child was puking or something they might get bumped up the queue maybe.

I spoke to a receptionist who didn't take details. Just said 'There is currently a 4 hour wait'.

What do I think should happen?

I think there should be no difference to GP cover at weekends. People don't only get ill monday to friday. There are illnesses that need to be seen sooner than a week next thursday but not emergencies that need to go to A&E.

And people should be able to get treatment locally. Not 15 miles away.

[dikkertjedap]

Same where I am. No OOH doctors as such near where we are. They are all based in the nearest hospital which is a 40 minute drive away. There are often long waits to get an appointment and A&E might actually be quicker (plus better doctors IMO). Our OOH doctors are drafted in from abroad and are quite hit and miss.

[NUFC69]

It is not like that here, either, and I live ten miles away from the nearest hospital. There is a pediatric a & e there, too. My son and his wife recently took their three month old baby there and I am sure she was seen fairly quickly.

[Merinda]

Nobody should be made four hours! It is amazing that some of you suggest that it may be a normal thing for non-urgent cases. It is an absolute shame.

[Whitecherry]

15 miles is really not that far!

[Whitecherry]

The '4 hour wait' is maybe an estimation? Don't they ALL say this?