GP wants baby to have covid test before she'll see him

[QueenLagertha]

DS is on day 5 of vomiting bug. Very lethargic. Signs of dehydration. Also has a cough. GP refusing to see him without a covid test first. Is this normal??

No that is not normal and absolutely ridiculous.

I would assume the GP wants to avoid catching Covid because they will have to be off work for a week or so, and that will massively affect everyone in the surrounding area who needs to see a GP.

It's no fun doing a Covid test on a baby/toddler - I had a 14 month old when we went into lockdown so we did a million test on him when he was back at nursery and needing a negative test after every fever or cough. It's much easier with two people if you can get some help. Just try, for the sake of the GP practice.

They'd ensure they took the necessarily precautions? My DS has been to the GP with respiratory stuff throughout the pandemic and they've had a separate entrance and room along with ensuring they wear PPE- as is their perogative. Its not time or cost effective or in any way practical to do this for every single patient therefore knowing means they can plan. Even if your surgery have similar arrangements if you refuse to test which is fair enough they probably don't want to use that facility in case someone else needs it so in a car seems fair enough. Out surgery doesn't do this anymore but if a practice wants to then they're well within their rights to.

Its a real mystery why we have a shortage of GPs that is only getting worse.

Not normal but mine had it at that age and I'd not even considered it. Test was easy quick rub of his nostril 🙄 making this a bigger thing than it needs to be

Poor baby. I wonder if it's strep throat/tonsillitis?

Sounds crazy but if my son gets a strep throat his symptoms are mainly being sick constantly and feeling nauseous for days. With a bit of a sore throat. We once took him to a&e after him being sick and lethargic with a high heart rate, they looked in his throat and said it's tonsillitis.

I guess it will be difficult for you to look at your babies tonsils? Just something to bear in mind for if and when you see the GP.

Ooh sorry just saw you got an appt. Hope it went well.

FGS, tell her you tested and it's negative.

Yes all 3 of our under 2s were recently asked to have one all came back clear and they currently have bronchitis

Do one on yourself, send a picture to the GP.

It's ridiculous

Firstly the child is vomiting, most likely has some sort of infectious illness. Whether it's covid or not shouldn't change your infection control procedures. You not going to do a quick wipe of a stethoscope for noro and a full sterilise for covid

Having covid doesn't change the necessity of the child needing to see the GP. If the child is negative it doesn't change the fact that they are infectious. A 12 month old dehydrated baby with significant vomiting is going to be distressed by having a test done

It's ridiculous. Its not like the GP won't need several days off with Noro so the they don't want time off argument is null and void

In a+E now. Baby probably needs fluids. Should've just came here this morning rather than faffing about with GP and covid test 🤦🏼‍♀️ not a mask in sight here

Even those who are cev need to earn a living. You try going through 2.5 years of chemo and radiotherapy on 70 quid per week ssp

It's very unreasonable. The next patient going into that consulting room and seeing that gp may be going through chemo and have a compromised immune system

A GP surgery is actually a private business, they have contractual obligations and outputs for the NHS but they can mandate what they want. The doctor in question could be vulnerable specifically to repository conditions such as covid, the surgery may have experienced chronic staff shortages due to being poorly from covid which is highly transmissible, the doctor may have a clinic for very vulnerable people this afternoon or they might have family members who are. Whatever the reason they were content for you not to test and you had an appointment, not sure of the issue. Hospitals not having masks is their choice really, but most are still testing albeit only once you have a bed; there's a high chance they'll take a swab from your child, presumably you'll be fine with that?

So you posted at 1030 so presumably called not long prior to that, and had your baby seen at 12. What's the issue? You declined and they figured out a workaround. I'm really perplexed why anyone would bother to be a GP these days, although i suppose the shortages speak for themselves!

@Flopsythebunny Sorry I didnt mean to sound flippant. That sounds like a bloody nightmare having to work In those circumstances with the added stress of money worries.

I hope you through the worst of it now.