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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be furious at GP....

300 replies

Dopeyduck · 27/10/2020 07:45

Saw GP on Friday as DS was screaming inconsolably. Confirmed ear infection in both ears. As no temp no antibiotics were given. Pain relief and call back in a couple of days if no better.

Saturday DS developed a temp. By the middle of Saturday night it was 39.9 after paracetamol and ibuprofen, so I called 111 and spoke to out of hours GP.

She refused to see him as he had a temp - re covid, even though it’s an ear infection. Wouldn’t give antibiotics without seeing him and said ‘he’s probably just burning it off.’

Sunday DS is really poorly but temp is only 38.8. Called out of hours to be told they still won’t see him but he’s getting better.

Monday DS is worse still so I contact GP. They also won’t see him and tell me to keep at home or take to A&E if I’m very worried.

At 2am Tuesday morning I did take him up to A&E. temp 39.9 still. A&E were great and he was seen quickly by a lovely doctor. Doc took one look in his ears and said he’s got a very severe infection in both and he needs antibiotics immediately. He was appalled that nobody had prescribed antibiotics when he worsened and that they didn’t see him.

I now have a very very poorly baby who has suffered for 5 days because in my opinion the GP failed to give him adequate care because they’re more concerned about covid than sick kids.

I do understand covid is very serious situation but a temp is a symptom of many things. Covid or not sick children shouldn’t be ignored.

AIBU to complain?

OP posts:
Fairyliz · 27/10/2020 08:12

Sounds about normal, my GP like @BangBux doesn’t appear to be doing anything.
A GP on here recently said they were working 12 hours a day, begs the question what are they actually doing? And how have they got time to be on MN.

Purpledaisychain · 27/10/2020 08:14

Absolutely unacceptable. GPs have plenty of PPE, and they have isolation rooms if they didn't want you sitting in the main waiting room. I would definitely complain.

LaBellina · 27/10/2020 08:15

YANBU. What if it had gotten out of hand and the infection would have caused permanent damage to him?
I would be livid and surely complain. This is completely unacceptable.

TheTrollFairy · 27/10/2020 08:15

Awful! My DD was unwell last month with a temp and a cough. I needed to see the GP as she couldn’t breathe and they GP saw her in the car, all with masks on.
She had a severe chest infection so symptoms are similar.

Apparently, covid appears differently in children and they do not get the adult symptoms of cough and temp (usually, sometime they will). Apparently symptoms in children are more likely to be headache, stomach pains and diarrhoea. I can’t recall where I saw it but I have heard from a few parents that their kids only got a headache as a symptom. If this is accurate then this needs advertising more so people know what to look for. Imo, kids have coughs and temps all the time but will rarely suffer from a headache so for me, it would be easier to spot potential covid if DD complained of a headache

Original poster
Dopeyduck · 27/10/2020 08:16

I actually asked out of hours to see him in the car park despite it being the middle of the night and raining. I was that desperate just to know DS was ok and to try and get him better.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 27/10/2020 08:16

From dealing with dhs health recently we’ve come to the conclusion the gp are piling everything through a+e.

We found an attitude from the consultant of fuck off, if your that worried go to a+e. So we did, they admitted him for heart failure & his consultant told him it doesn’t look good for us if you turn up at a+e, it looks like we can’t treat our patients. Truth hurts.

Frouby · 27/10/2020 08:17

Absolutely complain OP, and I would be tempted to include my MP in those complaints. I am absolutely sick to the back teeth of covid being used to decimate the NHS even further. My 6 year old is going to lose 2 adult teeth because of the shit show of dental care since March. His 6s (molars) have come through with no enamel. 2 small fillings could have saved them. Now the holes are too large to fill properly (on a small child who probably won't tolerate it very well) so he will likely need them removed. We don't know yet though because he needs an xray and local hospital that would be doing the x-ray is closed to non urgent referrals cos covid.

DumplingsAndStew · 27/10/2020 08:18

Was that two different GPs?

TrickyD · 27/10/2020 08:18

Truthfully, a lot of GPs appear to be completely taking advantage of Covid to do less work than they did before.

Our GP retired and moved away. He is suffering from his own new GP not working properly; he had great trouble getting someone to see his DGD. He agrees with the poster who says that with PPE they should be seeing patients virtually normally but are indeed taking advantage of Covid19

Loveable1 · 27/10/2020 08:18

Awww poor thing! Hope he gets better quickly Cake

I was in hospital the weekend with an infection, I am now on antibiotics for it, I am also running a temperature. Thankfully the doctor I saw used their common sense and could see I was in pain and it was a infection, no Covid test needed.

MrsClatterbuck · 27/10/2020 08:19

Our A&E last night on social media were saying it was very busy and to only come if it was an emergency. Maybe it was busy because people can't see their GP or the out of hours. Hopefully someone in charge will start telling the doctors they mustn't send patients to A&E who they should be dealing with themselves.

Original poster
Dopeyduck · 27/10/2020 08:19

I’m so sad that this happening to so many people.

OP posts:
Waveysnail · 27/10/2020 08:19

That's poor. Any chest or ear infections are referred to local covid hub by gp so they can prescribe treatment.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 27/10/2020 08:19

This is terrible op. You've been totally reasonable agreeing with the initial wait and see plan but his worsening condition should of course have warranted an examination and a prescription.

I'm always one on here that says no, not A&E! Always Gp for minor illnesses, but with a constant raging temp, an ill dc and unhelpful primary care you did exactly the right thing. Please complain, it is the only way anything changes sadly.

Suzi888 · 27/10/2020 08:21

I had an ear infection last year which my GP decided not to bother treating because she couldn’t see anything wrong. Ended up on intravenous antibiotics in hospital for 5 days and lost my hearing in that ear. I changed my G.P.
The consultant advised me that ear drop antibiotics are the best -(not sure about babies.) YANBU at all. Poor baby and poor you!

UnicornAndSparkles · 27/10/2020 08:21

This is appalling treatment.

Im suprised the same GP didn't prescribe antibiotics over the phone or via a video apt when he/she had already seen there was an infection.

Absolutely complain.

Mintychoc1 · 27/10/2020 08:21

I’m a GP and that sounds like petty crappy care. Personally, in this current crazy situation, I would have given you a prescription to hang on to just in case.
Is there not a “hot hub” in your area? Where people who may have Covid are seen, rather than going to A&E? I spoke to a parent yesterday who’s toddler had a temperature but nothing else, and arranged a hot hub appointment for them 2 hours later. I would raise this with the practice manager, because this will happen again during the winter for sure.
Personally I’d happily see any patient, whatever their symptoms, but we have strict guidelines about room usage etc. We also have 2 medical staff who are vulnerable, so we have to be extra careful.

Felifox · 27/10/2020 08:24

You can also complain to CQC (Care Quality Commission) who inspect both hospitals and GP practices as well as care and nursing homes. You can check the rating your GP has also on their website.

WizWoz · 27/10/2020 08:24

I said on another thread, I saw an elderly lady run over by a car outside a GP practice and the doctors refused to come out and offer emergency first aid because of Covid. I currently have several minor issues I’ve needed treating for the last six months but no doctor or dentist will see me because it’s not urgent. Meanwhile my eyebrow technician is happy to treat me wearing PPE 🤷‍♀️

XEbonyrose1X · 27/10/2020 08:24

Yes complain. As someone who has not had one GP prepared to see me since march with long-term gynocology issues I can honestly say the wrong services have been cut in this pandemic.

They are seriously neglecting people. My baby son had pneumonia last year and we were able to access help when he was lethargic. If that was now I dread to think how many hoops we would have needed to jump through to get seen.

I'm not being funny, as full respect to the GPS all around the county who are doing their absolute best. But I fear many of them are hiding in fear and when it comes to children and pain and fever that's not acceptable. You are not the first mum to have had trouble recently with these things. I think the government needs to be ensuring Gps are masked up and in full gear and seeing patients now. Fever presents with many conditions and coronavirus does not rule the world. Everyone's living in fear. But people are dying from other conditions. Babies are suffering. Women like myself can't be seen.

I'm sorry you have had to worry like this for your baby. Wishing the little one a fast recovery now.

TweeBree · 27/10/2020 08:27

I had an ear infection last year which my GP decided not to bother treating because she couldn’t see anything wrong. Ended up on intravenous antibiotics in hospital for 5 days and lost my hearing in that ear.

I hope you've consulted a solicitor on this.

Sodamncold · 27/10/2020 08:27

I would have taken to a&e

Baffled you didn’t earlier

ShizeItsWeegie · 27/10/2020 08:28

I have just changed GP because of similar appalling treatment. My DH is going to lose the top of his ear surgically now because the bloody GP wouldn't even look at it or refer him to the skin clinic. It's an agressive tumour we are now told.
Same doctor. My neighbour has just had a lump off her eye which is a cancer. He saw photos of it only even though she asked him to look at it through the car window. He said twice that it is just a wart. It grew to the size of a cork hanging off her eyelid and it's a cancer.
We moved to a new surgery and the new GP came out and throughly examined DH's ear. He is having the whole lump and skin and cartilage removed. It started out the size of the end of a biro and the GP said to put moisturiser on it as it's just an actinic lesion! I'm so angry.

MissBaskinIfYoureNasty · 27/10/2020 08:28

Almost identical situation here this weekend. The nurse we saw on the children's assessment unit said they're getting lots of kids there who should be seeing a GP but GPs won't see them. Its disgraceful and they need holding to account.

Billben · 27/10/2020 08:29

@BangBux

Truthfully, a lot of GPs appear to be completely taking advantage of Covid to do less work than they did before. Mine in particular aren't doing any appointments at all - no emergency appointments, no non-emergency appointments, I can't get contraception, they aren't doing smears, wouldn't do DS's vaccinations, not doing flu jabs, wouldn't do a medical exam we needed (not even the over-the-phone questionnaire part), won't do a routine blood test... Begs the question what the hell they have been doing for months!
😱 Wow, that is shocking. How do they get away with it I wonder?