To Be Unhappy with GP Surgery

[ruby29]

My 9 year old DD is just home from hospital recovering from a nasty appendicitis.

She developed the symptoms overnight and I phoned the GP surgery as soon as they opened at 8.30am and explained that I belived my daughter had appendicitis and would like an appt as soon as poss.

I was told that the only appt was 4pm as the Drs do not offer morning emergency appts and that there was no possibility to speak to anyone prior to that. I emphasised again that I was worried about her but the receptionist wan't budging.

In hindsight I should have gone straight to A&E at this point but waited it out for the appt. This was a mistake as the GP was of the opnion that there wasn't anything to worry about and sent us on our way.

Fortunately at this point. I trusted my instincts and took her to A&E and she went to theatre later that night.

I am upset with the Dr as I don't feel she took it seriously enough but in addition feel that the system of not seeing anyone in the morning is totally unreasonable. How many people must be worrying about a sick child overnight and phoning in at 8.30 only to be told they have to wait an additional 7 hours?

Surely they should at least have a triage system in place. Am I unreasonable in thinking this is totally
unsafe practice or is it the norm?

I have found that if I can't get an appointment very soon when I think I or member of my family really needs it - I always say if I can't get an appointment sooner i will have to go to A and E. This always works. I don't know if they get feedback or a bollocking if a patient goes to A and E because they can't get seen very soon.

I emphasise that I only do this when I think the symptoms are really serious e.g. really bad asthma attack that needs a nebuliser to be used (when patient doesn't have a nebuliser) or sever abdominal pain.

but those things should be taken to a and e anyway. Anything you class as severe you would surely go to a an e?

If you've been waiting half the night to call the doctor @ 8am, it's hardly an emergency is it? The treatment a doctor could give is suspecting appendicitus, but you'd still need to go to hospital for diagnosis and treatment so yes, YABU.

Hope daughter is well on the mend though!

I think some of you are missing the op's point. A mother took her daughter to the GP and the GP did not tell the mother to take the daughter to the A&E. How amny of you are medically trained??? Am not so therefore I would 100% believe the doc that all was ok and head home. This could have been a disaster. The child needed looked at in hospital - the mother might think this but the doctor (who spent years training) shoud KNOW the child needed sending to A&E. I know doctors make mistakes but how can we as parents make up for that ..... we are no saftey net WITHOUT medical training. PLus no-one knows what another person pain feels like but a doctor should take appropriate action. Its the doc at fault here not the mother for waiting.... she was doing was she was told to do. And luckily for some reason took child to A&E anyway. So yes I would complain about doc and referral system.

Hi ruby I'm a GP and I really would recommened that you feedback to the practice manager about this situation. Obviously the practices procedures for coping with emergency situations are seriously lacking and if a parent is ringing up stating that their child is unwell with possible appendicitis then they shouldn't be expected to wait until the afternoon.

In our GP surgery we have triage system and emergency doctors and it sounds like a similar procedures should be implemented at your surgery. I also think it is important that it is fedback to the GP that you saw that your daughter was operated on for appendicitis as it is important that the GPs learns from this case.

GPs are not beyong making mistakes but it sounds to me that you recieved poor care and it is important that this is highlighted to your practice to prevent a recurrence of this situation.

sorry for all the typos!