Doctor refused to see 3yo with suspected scarlet fever

[Phyllisdoriss]

My 3yo presented scarlet fever symptoms Sunday morning. Classic temperature, sandpaper rash, strawberry tongue so almost certain scarlet fever.
Phoned 111 at 10.30, get through around 12. Was told a clinician would call back within 2 hrs but very busy so could be longer.
Get a call around 3.45. Not the clinician but someone checking in. Clinician phoned around 7pm, really lovely lady who said she would make a referral to GP and that they will be ‘duty bound’ to see DC next day (today). DC was comfortable and settled down to sleep so she didn’t want to send us anywhere through the night, could end up being really late. We have a baby too.
This morning I phone GP first thing to book appointment. They acknowledged the referral from 111 and tell me a doctor will be in touch.

3.35pm my GP surgery phone to offer an appointment at a surgery 30mins (on a good day) away for 4pm. I said that would be impossible, so they offered 4.30 and that is the latest they can do. I accept the appointment but think it’ll be a tall order to get 2 toddlers, one quite unwell, in the car and there for 4.30 through two busy towns at rush hour but I was going to try my hardest. We got to the desk at 4.36 a flustered mess (I’m never late and hate being late)

They refused to see DC as we had ‘missed’ the appointment. I said they were duty bound to see her which they said they would but we could be waiting a while. As I’d had to rush everyone out of the door I’d not packed and snacks/toys so the thought of a long wait was not ideal but no choice.

At around 6pm a lady comes to tell us that they would not see her today. I said you’re duty bound to see DC today and she rudely responded with “you missed your appointment” and other remarks like “other patents managed to get here on time”. Yes but have other patients traveled as far, with such short notice, alone with two very young children?
Poor DC was even trying to show them crying saying “but look, I’ve got a nasty rash”.
AIBU to think this is truly appalling.

I wonder how many of the YABU crowd have health insurance and vote Tory.

I bet you even stopped for 30 seconds to put shoes and a coat on too! Ugh so entitled!!!!!

how is your little one tonight? I’m so surprised they didn’t see you. I am extra grateful for my GP surgery who I know would always fit in a poorly child. Leaving a child with a highly contagious condition in a waiting room for that length of time is madness. Poor you, bet you’re even more exhausted.

most parents would have moved heaven and earth to make that appointment.

I hate this phrase. No they wouldn't! Because most parents are only human and are bound by the same laws of time and space as the rest of us. No fucker can move heaven and earth. Its an icy day, OP couldn't have done the journey any faster even if she wanted a speeding ticket.

I was frantic rushing like a mad man. Honestly how I didn’t break down when they refused to see us.

@Axahooxa I have health insurance and vote Tory. I think the op is being entirely reasonable and have urged her to wrote a formal complaint copied to her local MP. I know my local Tory MP would be equally horrified and would intervene.

For the love of Christ. Have a word with yourself and find some empathy and compassion. OP has two small kids, one of whom is sick with a serious, notifiable disease. I'm surprised she managed to get there as soon as she did.

But no doubt you're perfect, eh? I guess her three years old deserves to chance sepsis, seeing as OP isn't quite as perfect as wonderful you.

Greater than average amount of arseholes just waiting to kick someone when they're down on here tonight, I see.

This is exactly the response I am talking about-it's just so callously rude and very thoughtless to write these words. Please think about how your words affect people and then maybe just why you choose to respond this way because it helps nobody, does nothing good and is happening too much . We are all stressed out and we are all being shafted. OP did nothing wrong.

I'd be fuming they could have squeezed you in, must have had a bit of time, if they'd seen the next patient. I'd change drs. X

Yes I agree Solomam, the OP sounds spectacularly efficient, I have an 11 year old and 15 year old and if they were sick and i was driving that far to essentially get some medical attention for my child that could go down hill rapidly, I would have probably not been any quicker due to the worry about missing the gold dust appointment let alone with very young children and all the paraphernalia that goes with them.

Jesus Christ do some people just not read the OP before responding, or are they just incredibly, brain numbingly stupid?!

YANBU - you should have been seen and I'm so sorry as it sounds like a nightmare day. How is your child doing now? Ideally they should have been seen by out of hours, but if not by the GP when possible. The GP sitting next to me on the sofa agrees.

However, the GP bashing on this thread (from the usual suspects) is a great illustration of why GPs are fleeing the profession in droves and we have a massive shortage. I've asked such individuals a few times why, if the job is so cushy and profitable, GPs are leaving at such a rate and new medical students do not want to train in general practice. Oddly enough, never received a convincing answer to that...

General practice is in crisis. Approximately 34 million GP appointments happened last month with the lowest number of FTE GPs in years. That's pretty much HALF the population who consulted their GP but STILL the narrative is that they're not seeing anyone. It's truly maddening: demand is outstripping supply. It's not if the system breaks, it's when.

Sorry this was the quote I mean

You tried your best, the doctor tried their best.

You couldn't get there on time, the doctor couldn't stay there past their time.

Its unfortunate.
Hope your child gets better soon op

Until recently I worked as an out of hours GP. I am still an ordinary surgery GP. I don't understand why the apparently very helpful GP you spoke to on Sunday didn't prescribe the antibiotics after a phone consultation. If she felt she couldn't adequately assess your child, she should have arranged a face to face appointment with the service. In my area that would've either been with me or at another local site depending on where I was doing calls from. If there were no appointments left (a frequent occurrence) for a 3yo with potential scarlet fever I'd be advising A&E. Some things can be left until the next day but surely not this.

Your GP clearly acted appallingly and I frequently stay late to see urgent extras but once again the daytime GP is taking the flack for the shortcomings in 111/out of hours service. Everyone is stretched. It's not fair for out of hours to just push the work onto the next day.

They both tried their best but only one can prescribe antibiotics to a child with suspected strep during a strep a outbreak.

I get how important it is to keep to appointment times to keep the system running smoothly, but it sounds like you were honest about how long it would take you to get to the surgery. I’m very surprised that the doctor was running on time at 4.30. Normally by that time our surgery is running at least a couple of minutes late, which I completely understand, but I feel it should work both ways. Ds was waiting for just over 90 minutes last week. Every appointment going in before us during that wait was a child or baby, all with mothers who looked at different stages of desperation!

Awful that they didn’t see you after leaving you sat waiting for 90 minutes. Were the receptionists so run off their feet they couldn’t have to,d you that an hour previously, so you could consider other options.
I can’t believe you have been called entitled for expecting to be seen! Isn’t that the whole point of the nhs, to recieve basic health care, especially for the most vulnerable in society. All the media coverage of strep and scarlet fever.
I hope you child makes a quick recovery.

there's no chance they were running perfectly on time and no one had turned up early enough to be seen earlier.
Either they're late anyway so if op had got there on time she'd have waited anyway, or her appt would have been called on time, she wasn't there so they called the next person in early. in which case they could have called her next. It was still two people being seen and no time wasted as they didn't call for her/

Its shit OP, i'd be looking to move ASAP. Basically cancelling an appt for a sick child for SIX MINUTES! I've called en route before and always been given a 10 minute leeway and if it was after that they'd squeeze me in wherever.

Did you manange to get an OOO appt or one for tomorrow.

And she didn't decline an appt, she was left waiting all day then offered one with barely enough time to get there.`

They both tried their best but only one can prescribe antibiotics to a child with suspected strep during a strep a outbreak.
Yes I didn't say otherwise.

OK. So we are same day only & do not book appointments at the desk. There is no queueing.

The only exceptions of course are deaf or disabled patients.

When you start the day with maybe 100 appointments (if you're lucky) and 31000 patients it's never going to end well.

Our emergency Dr's do their best but they are 2 humans. Right now, this is nowhere near enough.

Considering your apparently a GP your reading skills aren't up to much are they?

Solidarity, @OldEnoughToHaveReadBunty

My son had scarlet fever a few years ago. I went to bath him after he was sick and saw the rash. Did the glass test and thought I could still see it. Went straight to te hospital. Said when I got there he has a rash all over that came out of no where. He was seen very quickly due to risk of meningitis. When he said scarlet fever i was shocked and felt bad for taking him. Doctor told me he wished more parents acted so quickly because had it been meningitis it could of made a huge difference to the outcome. Gave me antibiotics for him. I would say if you have not already been seen then go to accident and emergency as scarlet fever is linked to strep a and with the cases at the moment don't wait.

@ReedRite Have you and some of the other posters actually looked out of your windows today and seen whats on the ground.

I don’t understand the system or how it works. I simply follow the advised I’m given. I’m not laying blame at anyone in particular just venting my anger and frustration at this appalling experience. I do sympathise with GPs and appreciate what they do for us.

Oh fuck off! Your child is very unwell, they offer an appointment last minute that is barely manageable, doctors surgeries are very rarely running on time and they refuse to see you only 6 minutes late! I have had 3 appointments in the last 10 days and every one was running at least 30 minutes late.

Not only that, they told the OP they would see her but she would have to wait!

Jobsworths especially when Strep A has been highly publicised.