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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

raging with this doctor!!

141 replies

Brokentopieces · 30/03/2015 17:57

dd aged 6 had an accident about 40 mins ago. She cut her leg on a jug which broke in the bath. I quickly rang my dad, threw some clothes on her and my dad drove us to the doctors because I had to hold her on my knee as she as still bleeding, crying etc. So we got to the doctors and there was a woman coming out as we went in, dd was wrapped in a blanket and towel with blood coming through. when I got to reception the nurse said the doctor had just left and wouldn't be back so I would have to wait until the out of hours service for the area opened in 30 mins, she looked at her leg and said he would probably need stiches, so i'm now waiting for out of hours to open but I could waiting a couple of hours to be seen. Luckily the bleeding has stopped and dd is watching tv happily but I am fuming.
This doctor is filling in for the local doctor who is on holidays, i'm just shocked she would walk past a child she could see was hurt, bleeding etc.

OP posts:
HicDraconis · 30/03/2015 18:30

Errr. There's a lot of dramatisation going on there puttingoutthefire - heavily bleeding? From a cut on the leg? Really? Unless it went deep enough to find her femoral vessels (which I doubt - and if so would definitely have warranted A&E rather than ED).

I had to sit in the back with my son when he got his hand trapped in the boot and had to go to A&E - I didn't demand every doctor saw to him immediately, he was just scared and in pain and needed me. Same as this girl I imagine.

The nurse said it would "probably" need stitches. The bleeding has stopped. The child is happily watching TV. Why the panic?

RitaOrange · 30/03/2015 18:30

The surgery where we live is often open for picking up prescriptions after surgery has finished and that's probably what happened here - the Dr might have to do a N/H or home call before she could go home.

The receptionists once stayed behind so I could pick up a prescription when a swab result showed ABX were needed and they had called me.

I know you are probably feeling shocked and upset but its not the doctors fault.

SpottyTeacakes · 30/03/2015 18:32

If it doesn't close until 6:30 and the doctor had left it's very likely they went on an urgent visit.

The doctors where I work tend to do minor surgery clinics or work in a&e when not doing normal clinics so they would have been able to stitch, I wouldn't have expected it though.

ChipDip · 30/03/2015 18:32

Yabu as you have no idea why the lady rushed out, she could have been oblivious to you walking in if she had some important emergency to rush to.

PtolemysNeedle · 30/03/2015 18:32

YABVU

You don't know that the local doctor would have stayed because you don't know where else he might have been needed. You are wrong to judge this doctor badly.

Meloria · 30/03/2015 18:32

Doesn't matter if A&E is an hour away or on the other side of the moon. If that's the appropriate place for the injury then that's where you go.

PunkrockerGirl · 30/03/2015 18:33

I hope your dd is ok.
I think A&E would have been more appropriate in this instance. Also the GP could have been called out on an emergency, or she may have children of her own who needed collecting.

RitaOrange · 30/03/2015 18:35

Op if its only about an hour since this has happened you are probably feeling wobbly.
Look after your DD , have a Brew and calm down.

I don't think my first priority would be starting a thread tbh

Brew Cake Flowers

LaLyra · 30/03/2015 18:36

I realise it's hard when your child is hurt, but you don't know where the GP was going.

Our GP came out to one of my DDs last night when she had an asthma attack because there was a wait for an ambulance. If they had waited to treat a child with a cut leg I shudder to think what could have happened.

If your DD needed urgent care the nurse would have organised it for you, not suggested you wait so I'd assume the doctor was going to something more urgent.

hope your DD is ok.

lemonyone · 30/03/2015 18:40

Agree with the others - you've had a shock and really should be just there for your DD. It's so hard to tell sometimes when something is bleeding just how bad it's going to be.
As someone who has been in the position of the doctor, I can see why you would be angry, but that you also don't understand. She may not have seen the injury. She may have been going off to a house call. She may have children to pick up.
I think that in future you should probably consider going to the best place for the best job, which would in this case be A&E (yes it's a slog to get there) or call an ambulance if you don't think you'll get to A&E quickly enough.
I don't think you should be fuming at the doctor who may not have a clue what on earth you're angry about.
Hope your DD is better soon.

KatieKaye · 30/03/2015 18:41

You sound like you've had an awful shock. A nasty cut, loads of blood and terrified child will do that to you, so don't feel bad. The suggestion of a bar of choccy is a good idea to get your blood sugar back up.

Hope your DD gets seen soon - but the fact you are having to wait shows the cut isn't as bad as you thought and isn't a priority.

As for the doctor leaving, perhaps going to a care home, well my DM is in one and has also suffered bad cuts to her legs in a fall. The difference is that with an elderly, frail person something relatively minor can be life-threatening. In DMs case I had to put DNRs in place and she was in hospital for 6 months with various complications, including a pulmonary embolism. By the time she got to hospital she was in shock and hypothermic.

Anyway, hope DD is fine and that you are too.
I think it's actually quite reasonable to be unreasonable in a situation like this!

Original poster
Brokentopieces · 30/03/2015 18:41

Thanks for the replies.
I understand I don't know where she was going but I suppose Im used to the service my local doctor provides. On one occasion I had meningitis as a child, he wouldn't wait for an ambulance and ran to his car and brought me to hospital himself over an hour away. I wasn't expecting anything like this but the surgery was meant to be open for a least 30 mins. Im in Ireland where the medical system is slightly different so stiches would have being done if needed

Also someone asked about having an appointment, no I didn't but this surgery is a walk in sit down and wait to be seen surgery in a vey small town

OP posts:
LittleRedDinosaur · 30/03/2015 18:43

Hope your DD is OK OP, must be frightening.
But, GPs surgeries really aren't for things like this. There sometimes aren't any doctors or nurses on site. Not all GPs would be happy to suture and your DD may need her wound exploring and even Xraying if there is any concern that there may be glass in the wound.
There's every chance you're going to be asked to take her to A&E or minor injuries when the out of hours doctor sees you. A minor injuries unit would be much more appropriate, may see you quicker, and will be able to deal with this if you can find one and get there.
Hope everything gets sorted soon

LittleRedDinosaur · 30/03/2015 18:44

Sorry OP, crossed post with you. Maybe things are different in Ireland

lemonyone · 30/03/2015 18:45

In the case of the doctor and the meningitis - he knew you were ill. This doctor didn't, she was already in her car.
I can see why you are annoyed about the fact that the surgery should have been open 30 mins longer though. In the clinic where i worked we occasionally found we had no patients 45 mins or so before closing time, but we would still stay until the final minute. Equally, had there been an emergency elsewhere, we would have been off.

CactusAnnie · 30/03/2015 18:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RitaOrange · 30/03/2015 18:48

Gosh it sounds rather unrealistic tbh.
My GP surgery is fantastic but drive me to hospital ?
I would rather go in an ambulance with oxygen, drugs and a Paramedic etc if I needed that level of care.

Original poster
Brokentopieces · 30/03/2015 18:49

Yes they must be, minor stiches would be done by the GP. I've never heard of a minor injuries unit in Ireland but that's not to say they don't exist.

OP posts:
monkeysaymoo · 30/03/2015 18:51

Ah that makes more sense then OP. Hope your dd is feeling better soon

mommy2ash · 30/03/2015 18:52

im in ireland too but ive never heard of a gp doing stitches. my gp won't even do blood tests.

i think your anger is misplaced op but its understandable when your child is hurt and you are panicking. hope she is feeling better too.

SandInMySandwiches · 30/03/2015 18:53

I think I have read it all now. Bad, bad doctor!

Boofy27 · 30/03/2015 18:54

In rural areas, and being an hour from the nearest A&E suggests the OP is in a rural area, GPs will often stich wounds. Where I live, it also wouldn't be unusual for the GP to be popping in to give palliative care to dying patients on the way home.

I know it's hard to appreciate that a bleeding child might not always be the top priority but sometimes there are even more desperate cases to deal with.

Best wishes, OP, I hope your daughter gets better soon.

Original poster
Brokentopieces · 30/03/2015 18:55

ok where did I say I wanted the doctor to drive us to A&E??? don't be so thick! I was giving n example of how my doctor goes above and beyond for his patients.

I don't see where people are getting I demanded to be seen straight away either, I was in a panic. I don't deal well with blood, ive tried to overcome it and be able to handle these situations better by doing first aid etc as im a single mum so I don't anyone else with me when accidents happen.

OP posts:
RitaOrange · 30/03/2015 18:58

Gosh that's rather rude !

I was pointing out that if I was seriously ill ( meningitis) I would rather be in an ambulance with drugs, oxygen etc than in my GPs car ...

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 30/03/2015 19:04

Broken perhaps you should hide the thread and concentrate on your child if it's pissing you off Hmm