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.

Agree 100% OP. It's a disgrace that sick kids aren't seen. Parents simply can't know what's serious and what isn't, and shouldn't be expected to.

Yes I use private healthcare myself - although not for the GP as yet as have only needed to go straight to a consultant recently. The peace of mind of having private insurance is much, much better than the NHS.

You phone the Dr. The Dr asks questions. These questions allow Dr to know if it's something that needs seeing or not. If it needs seeing they will see it. They will also say if x y or z phone back.

I agree with you, it’s not good enough, but as usual people are falling over themselves to justify it, so doubt it will ever improve.

Of course it is that's why you pay for it

Yes, once you know the symptoms they’re unmistakeable. I meant we had no issues with the GP - all of us that got it felt utterly horrendous.

Shouldn’t be though - recently the GP referred me, after two telephone appts, to ENT under the TWW without examining me. I saw a private consultant the following day and had quinsy. I suspect if I’d have waited the 3 weeks it took to get the ENT appt I’d have had to present to a&e seriously unwell - I was already unable to open my mouth beyond a straws width.

I accept the system is broken but doesn’t mean I can’t recognise that.

and yes we have had a bad run of illness in my house v recently.

I agree with you OP, I would have wanted mine seen too with the contact with Scarlett Fever. I thought it was best treated with antibiotics? I don’t see the point of waiting until child is very poorly if you can prevent that happening.

Some bizarre replies on this thread. Did people not read it?
It wasn't just a sore throat OP took her child to the GP for - it was classic scarlet fever symptoms (rash, white tongue, sore throat) at a time his nursery had an outbreak!
OP on probabilities it is likely that your son had scarlet fever, but a mild version. It's much more likely than him having another illness with exactly the sane symptoms given he had been exposed to it. Some children can and do fight it off without antibiotics. Drs give antibiotics every time (or should) because it stops it spreading and they have no way of knowing which children will become seriously ill without them especially if they dont even examine them! It is pure luck that your son was ok. Pure luck is not good enough and the GP in question was both wrong (it isn't rare) and negligent.

I agree OP. The gp should have seen your son. If you have scarlet fever you are supposed to have antibiotics to prevent rare long term health issues regardless of how ill the child is or isn’t.
a rash and contact with children with scarlet fever means he should have been seen.

For other posters, if your child has a sandpaper rash and a strawberry tongue it is scarlet fever and they need antibiotics. The only other cause of strawberry tongue is Kawasaki disease and your child would be very unwell if they had that.

This but they actually give antibiotics due to the rare risk of later developing rheumatic fever or kidney disease.

Thank you - his symptoms were mild but textbook - the tongue was the thing that made me worry the most as I’ve not seen that with him before. His rash was definitely rough like sandpaper. He gets viral rashes when he’s ill but this was different. He probably went back to nursery and spread it too because there was no advice to keep him home.

GP’s words were “don’t worry about Scarlett fever it’s rare” I reiterated he had been in contact and he said “don’t worry - it’s rare”

The replies on this thread are slightly worrying. Apart from the fact that the next person to ask for advice might have a child who currently has SF and may be swayed by the advice, it does suggest that a number of people would see a GP for classic scarlet fever symptoms of their child had them and seemed otherwise well.

If you want to make a complaint ask for the practice managers details. My surgery will see any child under 5 on the same day. I rang for my son aged 5 back in October, I got a same day appointment. Sometimes they will do a telephone consultation and ask you to bring the child in. Each surgery will have their own challenges. I can see your point of view, you fear if it was scarlet fever it could have been missed because the gp didn't see your child. There is an element of trust involved in a consultation, you ate trusting that the hcp is able to diagnose off of the back of what you say.

Isn’t scarlet fever a notifiable illness any more? It was when DD had it about 7 years ago.

The problem is that there are not enough GP appointments for they to reassure parents everyone time they have a childhood illness.

I don't understand, you'd rather pay and go private for the reassurance, but you didn't? The option is there so do it if that's what you want to do?

My child has suspected SF. High temp for 2 days, sore throat, white tongue with spots at the front. Have called 111 twice, once last night and once at 7am this morning and was promised a call back. Still haven't heard a thing.

Yes it is

GPs are utterly useless my DD has had a severe cough for ages. Kept taking her to the doctor's she couldn't even walk up the stairs without becoming breathless. She's 9!!! A&E last night chest x-ray and prescribed antibiotics. It's a joke out there.

I don't think GP's not always taking things seriously is a new thing. Sixteen years ago, a GP at our surgery told me Ds was fine on oral antibiotics and they needed longer to work. He said to wait another 48hrs before seeking anymore advice.

Within 2hrs of that appointment I had taken Ds to A and E, because he was so unwell. He had peri-orbital cellulitis and sepsis and spent a week in hospital on IV antibiotics. I'm not sure he would be with us now, had I had listened to our GP......

THIS
The NHS is not funded to reassure anxious parents. It needs more funding.

GPs aren’t all knowing.

We have one at my surgery who frankly terrifies me. He always recommends wrapping a feverish child in a duvet and sweating it out, and when DD had neck pain he refused to examine her and gave her a huge codiene tablet out of his drawer. She was six.

He also performed a minor yet tricky surgery on himself years ago (won’t say what because it’s very indentifiable) and is the only person to have done so. He’s a bit odd in general.

I can imagine GPs will now be inundated with sore throats by worrying parents. But yanbu as your child had been in contact with scarlet fever.
My now 18 yr old had scarlet fever or a mild version age 2/3. Sandpaper rash but was in summer and I thought she was a bit hot and had caught the sun. She had sensitive skin and could sometimes react to sun cream. By the time I realised what it was , she was on the mend.