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.

hazey have you not been given an action plan of when to seek what help?

DS has asthma and we have been told if he presents with certain symptoms then to go to A and E, in most cases we are to skip OOH completely since they have missed things to often with him. I think when a child has a medical history A and E is often the better option.

Patients with chronic long-term illnesses are made to wait for drugs because of the price while they get iller and you want your child to be seen when it suits you when, by your own admission, she's not ill as such.

......And you worth in healthcare. Jesus, people like you are why the NHS is on its knees. Patients are far too demanding.

hazey in your situation, I can't imagine many empathetic people would think you are misusing services.

Crashdoll i admire your psychic abilities.

If you can decide from this that my child is less deserving of treatment than someone else who has a diagnosed chronic illness, you should offer your services to the Nhs.

As i have stated (more than once) my own situation is not an emergency and because of that I did not take her to the OOH.

But I do not think it would be 'misusing services' had I decided she needed treating sooner rather than later.

Thanks Purity.
Topical ABs have not worked. Will see doc monday (or a week next thursday).

OOH isn't for emergencies, thats what A and E is for. OOH is for those things which aren't emergencies but which can't really wait until the GP is open.

Lets just be clear here that it was the government that decided GPs should not work weekends and that PCTs should provide an Out of Hours service.

Yes. It is.

But locslly. And staffed by GPs would be nice.

The OOH service locally runs well I think, much better than it did when it was controlled by each GP practice.

We have a walk in centre manned by a GP and nurse 24/7. During 'working hours' you go and sit and wait to see someone. Ok the wait is often 3-4 hours but you know you will get seen. At night you phone for an appointment and then go to the walk in centre at your appointment time.

It is based in the local hospital and covers two towns but people can always get seen. When DS was in HDU i needed to go and they pushed me through and gave me stock medication rather than sending me off to the pharmacist which I was very greatful for!

Your child was not denied treatment! She would have had to wait. It's not ideal but perhaps you should look into changing services.

I never bloody said she wasn't deserving nor claim to know anything other than what you said.

*surgeries not services

Crashdoll.
I quote 'people like you are why the NHS is on its knees'.

Thanks for that.

What about the extra 7 or so hours free work I have given the NHS this week? And the fact I have tried every home treatment available? Is it actually that bad that I would like advice and/or medical treatment for my child?

And yes.

I think a 4 hour wait is unreasonable for anyone.

And people should not have to travel 15 miles.

No matter what day.

How does that then transpire into it being all my fault the NHS is broken?

Again, I'm not saying your child shouldn't have medical advice and treatment. Of course she should, she had a medical problem and she's just a child! My issue is that you were offered it and didn't like the fact that you had to wait. It is annoying but she isn't an emergency. You went off on one claiming that GP surgeries should be open on weekends. There are other, more cost effective solutions.

Anyway I'm off to bed as I've been up to 6 am. I had to go to hospital today and they were wonderful. I had to wait though but that's ok.

15 miles isn't really that far. I would have thought a lot of people are around that far away from the nearest a and e

4 hour wait isn't ideal but its certainly not unreasonable for a non life threatening problem.

People need to learn to be realistic about what they can expect. You are being far from realistic.

Of course it's not 'bad that I would like advice and/or medical treatment for my child'. The issue is the four hour wait. I don't actually think it is unreasonable for you to want to seek advice at the weekend about a problem which is clearly distressing for you and your child - an infected rash is not pleasant. But I still maintain that the service you are being offered is not that bad.

but, as far as i can tell, Sheela was saying it wasn't that much of a biggie for her child but if another child was ill then...

'Its outrageous that if a child was ill they'd have to wait'

and as i have said (being in the same area) we have had to wait this amount of time, and travel further.

The NHS is not broken Sheela. Your perception of this is completely bizarre. Be grateful for the NHS we have, without it we'd be up shit creek without a paddle (and you'd be without a job).

How far is reasonable to you for you to travel to A&E?

And instead of blathering on about the 7 hours free work for the NHS you did this week, if you dislike your job so much why don't you go into the community...oh yeah because community clinical staff also work above and beyond!!!

Anyway I'm off to bed as I've been up to 6 am. I had to go to hospital today and they were wonderful. I had to wait though but that's ok.

And yes, we have had to go to hospital, a lot, and they are so wonderful and we have had some amazing treatment on the nhs and without them I wouldn't be here, and neither would ds and believe me i would love to not have to rely on drs and therapists as much as we do, but, but it is still ok to sometimes say that things could be better, or that something is not working as well as it should, or that something or someone has fucked up.

Anyway, i really should leave this thread now, not something i normally do, but it has touched a nerve, probably because ds is coming down with something and I know that tonight or tomorrow I will be in that position of wondering what the fuck we should do. After the last on call gp didn't take his sats levels (it turned out he had pneumonia) we have bought a home oximeter. Honestly I know that the nhs is amazing and we are lucky to have it, but we should also be able to moan about it when it gets it wrong.

sorry rant over.

But it's 15 miles not 150!

Would you be happy to travel then sit and wait 4 hours with a sick child?

If that meant they were going to get the treatment they needed, and the wait wasn't going to risk making them worse then yes I would.

One thing that pisses me off when I am in A and E with DS is people who complain about waiting and the fact others get seen before them when they are there with realitively minor complaints.

Which might as well be 150 miles if you don't drive.