To think it's bloody irresponsible for my gp to tell me to bring a child with chicken pox to a sit and wait clinic?

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Really don't know what to do. My dd has chicken pox and is mostly recovering, but two of her spots look dodgy so I want to get the gp to take a look. I've explained she's still contagious, but they've told me to come to the (almost certainly packed) sit and wait clinic this afternoon. They've said they'll try and find somewhere else for us to sit, but even if we do that I'll have to loiter in the waiting room while we get triaged etc.

Aibu to think this is so bloody irresponsible? Chicken pox is lethal to some people.

Don't know whether to go, even though I think it's a terrible idea, or wait and see if they get better, and use out of hours tomorrow if not. But dd shouldn't be going without medical attention because of this! Or am I totally overreacting?

I don't know, asking if the op expects the gps to be mind readers, suggesting that she would be misusing the OOH service - how would it be misuse?!

It just seems odd, considering the op is concerned for her daughter, but also trying to show concern for others, I couldn't see why she is getting stick!

Yes, I'm not sure why the OP is getting stick either - she is expressing concern about bringing someone infectious into a room where she could potentially infect people, not demanding some kind of luxury treatment for her own sake. Our GP's waiting room often has small babies in it, I don't think I'd appreciate it if I was the mum of one of those babies and a visibly virus-ridden child was brought in.

And actually, I think they do deserve a bashing for not having procedures in place to deal with this. It must happen all the time. They should have some sort of plan which enables patients with contagious illnesses to be seen whilst minimising risk to other patients. Telling me they'll try to find me somewhere else to sit (and only after I suggest it) doesn't cut it, IMO.

Not saying GP surgeries can do no wrong, just that they haven't in this case. It would be misuse of OOH service to go there just because you can't get the type of appointment that suits you best at your GP. OOH waiting room likely to be just as crowded with ill people.

When dc had chicken pox, they took us into a back room to wait separately from everyone else.

Yes, but if I avoid going today because I think the gp surgery is putting others at risk, and my dd gets worse, I'll have no choice but to go to out of hours.

"just because you can't get the type of appointment that suits you best at your GP"

But you're still suggesting that she wants a special type of appointment because it "suits her best", as if she's looking for some kind of special treatment for herself. I think if she wanted an appointment after the surgery closed because it suited her working hours, that would be the case, but she wants special treatment SO HER CHILD DOESN'T POTENTIALLY INFECT ALL THE DOCTOR'S OTHER PATIENTS. It's something the GP should be considering for the sake of their other patients, not the OP.

Unless you think it's somehow selfish to come down with an illness that is both contagious and requires medical treatment? ("Damn those Ebola patients, it's their own fault...")

Could you take her to a pharmacist instead? Surely they can give just as good advice on how to treat infected chicken pox spots and there would be less waiting and less people around.

YABU, your child has an an appointment and they have told you they will find you somewhere else to sit, what more do you expect?

I think if there is the possibility of infection, actually, the child should be seen by a gp.

It is not misuse of OOH to take your child to see a gp, because you don't want to potentially infect others.

As you say, op, there should be a procedure - yes they have said that they will try and find you somewhere separate to sit, but if you have to wait in the waiting room, whilst this happens, then that is just daft. If they could tell you a solace away from people that you can go to as soon as you go in, then that would be ok.

Any idea what proportion of patients in a GP waiting room have a contagious condition at any given time? I would reckon at this time of year more than 50%. Surgeries are more likely to make special arrangements for the patients who are immunosuppresed than for the hundreds that attend every week with minor, self limiting viral illnesses.

Chicken pox is different to many other common contagious viruses and colds, in that it can cause serious complications for pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions and people with suppressed immunity. This is why, unlike colds and viruses, there is a quarantine period, where you are advised to stay away from the public.

The chances are high of there being vulnerable people in a Drs waiting room, should they all be made to sat in a separate room? When I was on chemo I spent half my bloody life in the dr's, should they have sorted out a private room for me away from everyone over the course of a year? Surely the better solution is to have the contagious child quarantined away from the public - which is why they have side rooms on hospital wards.

Cp is only contagious through direct contact so small child in buggy with rain cover, or a different room/ less used area should be fine?

Have you tried 111? They might be able to help you?

Tell them you are there - then wait outside??

111 will only tell her to go to the GP, surely? And that's NOT what 111 is for. 111 is for emergencies, but when you don't need an ambulance. I doubt 2 infected CP spots are an emergency !!!

999 is for emergencies
111 replaced NHS direct (and is very good when I had to use it)

No you're absolutely right, very sorry.

What are you expecting the doctor to do for you?

Pop round for a cuppa during lunch and have a look at a couple of spots?

Just stick rain cover over pushchair. It's spread by droplets from the spots or direct contact. If 'mostly recovering' and just a couple of spots look dodgy it's v v unlikely she'll contaminate everyone.

Does this clinic have any kind of separate waiting rooms for people with potentially contagious diseases? Some do. Call ahead to the clinic and ask what you should do if you have a child with chicken pox. I'm sure you wouldn't be the first patient with chicken pox to ever go there.

Cp takes 15 minutes to catch without direct contact so it should be fine if they give you a room quickly.
Yanbu though.

YANBU OP. It wasn't until I had PBF that I realised how much time small babies spend in doctors waiting rooms - their injections, mum and baby checks, mums post-birth complications, etc. If she had caught chickenpox at only a few weeks old from an infectious child in the waiting room it could have been quite serious

my GP has a separate (small) waiting room & entrance for infectious people - you call when you arrive & they open the side door so you don't have to go near anyone else. We used it last week when ds was in with possible scarlet fever. Very sensible imo.

My DD has an immune deficiency, and I will often arrive at the GP's surgery and call reception to let them know we are there, then wait in the car with her until they are ready to see her. I just ask politely that they ring my mobile when a room is ready, then she puts on her mask and we go directly through the waiting room into the examination room. We don't wait any less time than anyone else (regardless what it looks like to those two are sitting in the waiting room) but she isn't exposed to anything that could hospitalize her (or worse).

Perhaps that is an option for you?

I respect your concern, and hope her spots heal quickly and without further complications.