To be really annoyed with GP in light of strep A concerns?

[PeppermintChoc]

My sons pre-school has had several instances of Scarlett fever. He came down with a rash, white things and temp, complained of a sore throat. I would usually just have thought it’s viral but after calling pre-school they said don’t forget about SF and encouraged me to see the GP. They’ve had some really poorly children and staff.

Rang GP and he didn’t want to see him. Had a phone appt. He actually said “don’t worry about Scarlett fever it’s really rare” I said he’d been in contact with it and that didn’t change his mind.

My son was fine, fortunately, but reading about all these really poorly children and can’t help but worry that if one of mine does come down with something it’s luck of the draw as to whether they’ll see them. Conversely on another occasion he had tonsillitis and the only reason the GP (diff GP) picked it up was because he examined him. GP was surprised he wasn’t more poorly as his tonsils were awful and covered in pus.

I’m terrified at the state of our NHS. I am always reluctant to call “just in case” but I wish we could - really we should be able to be seen just to put our minds at rest. I’d rather pay £50-100 and feel happier my children aren’t seriously unwell than wait until they get really poorly just to justify going.

*white tongue. Not white things!!!

Surely they know what serious signs to look out for, if my GP says it is fine I take that. Maybe I am too laid back

I did take it - but felt he should have been examined. I think what annoyed me is he dismissed Scarlett fever because it’s rare despite the fact my son has been in contact with it.

I would say I’m generally quite relaxed, but now hearing of the strep A concerns and subsequent deaths I don’t think my GP’s approach was sufficient in this instance.

Well he was right wasn't he? Had the symptoms been more severe you would have been seen I would imagine.

I think we need a strep A topic now

Gp advise doesn't seem good enough anymore

Yes he would. But why do our kids have to get seriously ill. His tonsils were a perfect example. I waited until they were really bad and his illness progressed until he was seen so as not to waste their time.

I feel we should be able to look for reassurance sometimes. I’d be happy to pay for that system too.

OP "I’d rather pay £50-100 and feel happier my children aren’t seriously unwell than wait until they get really poorly just to justify going."

I think that would cover a private GP appointment so maybe try that?

Your GP was correct. Your son was fine. That's not something to be annoyed about. But by all means pay for Push Doctor or similar private GP whenever you need to put your mind at rest without taking up an NHS slot. I expect the GPs are deluged with parents panicked by the Strep A news and know how to triage it.

Honestly for poorly children under 5, I'd expect a face to face. I work in a GP surgery and that's our policy. We have doctors staying in past closing sometime to see little ones if requested by their parents.

Let's face it, GPs and A+E are now going to be inundated with anxious parents whose kids have a sore throat, so they are going to have to make decisions about who really needs the help.

How are his tonsils a perfect example? You said in OP:

GP was surprised he wasn’t more poorly as his tonsils were awful and covered in pus.

But now they were really bad and he was seriously ill? Or did he just have tonsilitis?

I'm not saying your GP is the greatest, or that the NHS isn't on its knees, but it's a reach to say your DS has to be seriously ill to get seen and be getting annoyed, rather than being glad he's fine and that the GP was right.

I usually see a practice nurse who I really rate. I’m always happy to see her and she always says to come if I’m worried. I appreciate this time it was nothing but prior to that I felt things weren’t quite right with both kids - one had tonsillitis needing antibiotics and the other a chest infection needing antibiotics and I didn’t suspect that was the issue on either occasion but knew they weren’t well. So if I’d have had a phone call it would likely have been missed.

I mean because if he wasn’t seen the cause wouldn’t have been identified but he needed a course of treatment. It was only when the doctor started examining him that he found it.

I can see you don’t agree - so maybe I was wrong.
Normally the GP surgery is fab. It must have been the view of a particular GP. I think because of my experiences recently where I’ve felt they were off but not sure why and they were examined and did need antibiotics I’m a bit cautious about telephone appts.

The amount you'd be happy to pay for peace of mind on a one off is similar to what a GP practice gets paid for an entire year worth of care to your child. People need to stop voting for the Tories if they want a functioning NHS.

There is really no point being annoyed when your son is fine though.

Ive had lots of phone appointments for DD and if they weren’t confident to just prescribe over the phone I’ve always been told to bring her in later in the day.

God it’s been ages since we had a Strep A topic

Also I just don’t understand your main problem, the 2 recent times you have need antibiotics your children have been seen, diagnosed and given treatment. Of course tonsillitis can only be diagnoses when they are examined.
It sounds like perhaps your child’s symptoms were quite mild and the doctor was confident it wasn’t more serious, which is wasn’t, hence no further appointment.

Im not saying people don’t fall through the cracks, of course they do, but your child wasn’t given a face to face appointment but wasn’t that ill. You’re just linking Strep A because it’s in the news.

😂

Yep!

We have had scarlet fever in our house a couple of times now. GPs always took it seriously, prescribed antibiotics immediately. No issues at all.

I take your points - yes it has worried me to hear about seriously ill children and my son not be examined when he was presenting with symptoms of and had been in contact with Scarlett fever.

I understand GP’s are seriously pressured - and that’s part of my point. Anxious parents should be able to present their child (to a degree obviously) I am part of an American parenting group on FB and they call them the moment they have a whiff of illness. The ideal is probably somewhere in the middle of our system and theirs.

People are worried.
Of the 106 patients in ED yesterday in the hospital where I work, 12 were children with fever and/or cough. That's a lot compared to normal.

What's the issue. You wanted reassurance and your GP did that. Presumably they told you when to seek help again?

ive made this pretty clear, whilst you might not agree with my rationale - I felt he should have been examined and felt the GP was dismissive of Scarlett fever given he had been in contact with it, telling me it was rare and not a concern in a boarder context.

I have family in the NHS an know how pressured it is. It’s so scary.