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Original poster

absolutly disgusted..please, please help

100 replies

Evesmama · 23/02/2005 12:04

short version:

dd full of spots, been bad since weekend, not eating/drinking, constantly crying.
rang doc to take her in.
dd fell asleep on my knee only hour after getting up.
already couple inches of snow outside and blizzards start up again.
rang doc to politley ask for doc to come out, explained situation.
was told no1, docs arnt doing call out today because of snow and dont come out for babies anyway???eh?
asked if they expected me to come out and walk 45 mins in thick snow and still falling with 22 month old in pram with temperature, constantly crying and covered in spots...her blunt reply..yes!, the doc would have to do the same!!!!
after much tooing anf froing, managed to get hold of dp at work, got him to come home and rang back to say i was coming in.
they said theyd send me straight through.
3 people later, i went up to ask why we were still there?, she said, shes speak to the other receptionist.
finally got in.
doc said it was a viral infection and wasnt chicken pox as they have fiud filled heads on...what like the ones on her hands?????oh yes, well it could be chicken pox?/but dont know! just keep temp down and come back if im worried???WTF, im here now!
she gave me a prescription for calpol to keep temp down.
asked her if i was okay to give calpol with medised as this was controlling the itching and helping her sleep..she said "yes medised is totally fine to give 'with' calpol".
went to chemist and quiried again and was told...NO!!, medised and calpol both contain paracetamol and i would overdose her and make her very ill if i gave both together!!!!!!!!

where to i go!!!
am very very angry

OP posts:
bundle · 23/02/2005 12:36

sansouci, has she tried calling the clinic directly to let them know that she could get there quickly if there's a cancellation? (I know a lot of people don't bother to cancel appts but there's a chance). i'm sorry to hear she's had to wait, she must be worried about it.

snafu · 23/02/2005 12:36

Your dh is right - you should certainly take it further. Get your complaint down in writing and copy it to the GP, the practice manager, the health authority and the GMC.

It's the fact that this is such basic information being given out wrongly that is so worrying, imo, let alone the attitude of the dr and receptionist.

morningpaper · 23/02/2005 12:38

Sansouci: if your MIL had suspected cancer at all, she would only wait 2-4 weeks MAX to see a consultant now, not months.

The NHS does deal with 60 million people, so it's not surprising there are lots of horror stories!

We also have the choice to pay 'through the nose' for private healthcare, if we want to.

Evesmama: The surgery will have an official complaints procedure, ask for a copy of it and follow that. I have made formal complaints in the past and always been impressed at how they have been followed through.

sansouci · 23/02/2005 12:39

My FIL is a retired GP so I imagine he's pulled all the strings he can. I'm sure she's worried but unfortunately now refuses to discuss it.

CrazyandConfused · 23/02/2005 12:40

When my kids get itch with allergies I use an antihitamine cream( a bit like calomine) I think it's a benadryl one? ask pharmacist but it says you can use on chicken pox too. it gets rid of itches pronto! also I use a kids paintbrush and cut bristles in hals to put it on! scratches without breaking or irritating skin. Good luck against NHS hope your child is better soon X

sansouci · 23/02/2005 12:40

Okay morningpaper! Don't jump down my throat, please. I did apologise!

bundle · 23/02/2005 12:40

where does she live sansouci? i met a lovely gastro man recently at the royal london who did colposcopies and gastroscopies, he was so kind and patient, the patient i met couldn't praise him enough...

sansouci · 23/02/2005 12:44

Maybe she's already had the tests... as I say, there's been a shut-down on that topic between my MIL & her children. However, my friend's mother is now needlessly dead & I still burn with fury over that.

sansouci · 23/02/2005 12:45

BTW, my MIL lives in Somerset.

morningpaper · 23/02/2005 12:46

Sorry Sansouci. I get a bit mad with stories about 'they-think-it's-cancer-and-he's-been-waiting-for-18-months' when the waiting times for consultants in this situation is now almost NOTHING (I would add 'Thanks to our fantastic Labour Government!') but might get shouted at. ;)

Mollie2403 · 23/02/2005 12:46

That's terrible Evesmama. But nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to doctors or health visitors. Mind you, I find it's a job trying to get past the receptionists first - they once asked me what the problem was so that 'they' could determine whether or not it required an urgent appointment! I have also been given unsuitable medication or the incorrect dosage on several occasions, so I always double or even triple check now before taking anything especially if it's for my babies. I've also been told that they do not do home visits, even for babies (a 'sign of the times' perhaps?)

Writing a letter may be a good idea if you have the time, I'm not sure what response you'd get - if any at all. Maybe it would be better to call the surgery back and ask for the doctor you seen to call you back between his appointments - tell them it is urgent - they may have told other parents the same thing and they might not query it again like you have.

Sorry this isn't much help. Hope your DD is well soon.

Bozza · 23/02/2005 12:47

Calpol with medised bad. Definitely complain.

The rest of it I would say is to be expected. Personally would not have gone to doctor with suspected chicken pox because it cannot be treated and you are running the risk of infecting others. When DD got cp badly at 5 months I spoke to the doctor on the phone because I wanted to know if it would be OK to give neurofen in between the paracetomol and it does say consult doctor if under 6 months.

Hope DD is feeling better soon.

sansouci · 23/02/2005 12:52

That's alright morningpaper. I realise this is a very sensitive issue. Dh and I do have trouble paying for our private health insurance every month. Between Switzerland and the UK, it seems like one extreme to the other. My dh's gp actually booked him into a sleep clinic (at CHF 1,700/night... double the price of room in best hotel) because of his snoring.

foxinsocks · 23/02/2005 12:56

Evesmama, definitely put it in writing (the calpol and medised thing) to the practice (as your first port of call). They should have a complaints procedure.

Morningpaper - I agree with you about the waiting times to see a consultant for cancer. However, the problem is that the hospitals have become focussed on that target - they had a consultant on the radio yesterday who said, yes, we now see most suspected cancer patients in 2 - 4 weeks but you would be horrified if you knew how long after that they had to wait for treatment. Becuase of course, there's no target for treatment only for 'seeing' the consultant.

sansouci · 23/02/2005 12:57

sorry evesmama, seem to have gone off on a tangent! I do hope your dd is better but I agree that you should make a formal complaint. Maybe try bathing dd in Aveeno's bath powder for itchy skin. It did seem to help mine when they had it.

bundle · 23/02/2005 13:00

there are plenty of sleep clinics in the uk, esp if you are willing to pay.

Original poster
Evesmama · 23/02/2005 13:03

practice manager just rang back to say..erm yes have spoken to dr xxx and shes said yes she did know you were giving her medised when she prescribed calpol..but didnt realise that medised contained paracetamol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WTF
a doctor with years of training and an up to date drug list and comparison info on her computer, didnt know what it contained???/ apart from the fact, she had already told me that her drowsy ness would be down to the medised!!!so shes already lying..very badly too!
practice manager said she was very sorry and doc would ring me to apologise!!!oh..thats alrigfht then!! told her that wasnt good enough cos i..a mother..could have seriously harmed my daughter because of the doctors incompetance!!!!

OP posts:
bundle · 23/02/2005 13:06

iirc, medised is a paracetamol syrup which is dispensed by pharmacists only - ie it's not for sale otc to joe public. pretty basic stuff, you're right to be angry.

lou33 · 23/02/2005 13:07

that would make me even more determined to complain

Bozza · 23/02/2005 13:08

If she didn't know (which is a bit shocking really) she should have checked rather than just assumes it didn't.

lunavix · 23/02/2005 13:08

You have every right to be fuming...

I think this is why they have those 'do not shout at our staff' signs!

Bozza · 23/02/2005 13:09

sorry, assumed

sacha3taylor · 23/02/2005 13:11

Piriton syrup is very good for chicken pox, Check with pharmacist but i am pretty sure it is fine to take with calpol as it is anti histamine based with no paracetamol in. Like i say though check at chemist as it was a while ago DS had chicken pox. HTH

snafu · 23/02/2005 13:15

I buy Medised over the counter at Tescos. In the pharmacy bit, granted, but it's certainly available to anyone who asks for it.

Bozza · 23/02/2005 13:17

Piriton syrup only for 1yr+ which was why I couldn't give it to DD but Evesmama should be OK. And I agree it definitely helped with DS.