Tried to get a doctors appointment for my severely constipated 16 month old, let me tell you how fucked the system is

[Lsquiggles]

Yes I understand covid has changed how and when you can see your doctor, but this is disgusting and a complete neglect of care.

My DD has been constipated for a few days but it all came to a head yesterday lunch time when she was screaming and I was scared she was going to give herself an injury. My dp went to the pharmacy which is opposite our gp surgery, queued up for 30 minutes (behind lots of people with physical prescriptions, interesting) to be told they couldn't give us anything over the counter as she's so young so to call gp. Annoying but fair enough.

Call the gp at 2pm and they say there's no appointments (of course), the doctor isn't in today (?!) and she'll send him an email so he can prescribe something.

The receptionist calls me back at 5pm (3 hours later) to say my DD needs to be seen in person but they're closed now so either she'll be seen Monday or to call the local walk in centre and 'they'll see her today'. At this point I'm already angry because they left me 3 hours with an upset child instead of telling me to call the walk in centre at 2pm.

I call the walk in centre, explain everything, she said they're doing a call back service and a doctor will call me in 2-3 hours. I explain my doctor has already said she needs to be seen in person, she shouts over me that it's the discretion of each doctor to decide that.

The walk in centre closes at 8pm, the doctor calls me at 8pm. The nicest doctor tells me how sorry he is that my doctors surgery passed the buck over to them and that they should've never turned away a child. He said your children are the most precious things to you and he's shocked with our doctors actions. He said he'd prescribe it over the phone or stay half an hour longer for us so we could bring her in to be seen. At this point my DD was in bed so I just accepted the prescription but he did say if we were worried over the weekend to call back and he'd see her ASAP.

How is this allowed to happen? My DD has no medical issues or allergies, all the symptoms I described were of basic constipation, why did I have to jump through all these hoops and be patronised by multiple receptionists just to get something to help my child go to the toilet?

This is why people are going to A&E with minor complaints, something needs to change before serious issues are left untreated or misdiagnosed

@ChloeCrocodile

The GP is not for urgent care.

Why do they do urgent appointments then? Pre-COVID I saw the gp for urgent care a few times.

Interesting - our GP surgery has a recorded message on the phone that specifically states that if you need urgent care you should go to the urgent care centre, or A&E.

Typically, if you need to be seen urgently at it's 2pm on a Friday, the GP is unlikely to be able to see you. All spare same-day appointments are usually assigned by 10am where we are. This has always been the case, not just in Covid times.

OP I agree with you! I tried to get a doctor’s appointment for my toddler. Had to wait for a week to book the telephone appointment, then was told to get a covid test. Then had to wait a weekend before I could book her in, then was told by receptionist that I couldn’t book and the original doctor wasn’t in. I complained that my daughter needed to see a doctor and was told another doctor would call me. Waited for a few hours then called to complain. Eventually got an appointment for the same day.

I strongly resent this patronising system where you practically have to beg for a gp appointment. I rarely visit the doctor and if there was a private gp in my area I would happily pay him or her never to have to deal with an nhs gp surgery again.

I recently sent in an e-consult at 7am when my 12 month old woke up with a nosebleed. 9am was rung and asked to bring him straight in to the surgery. Saw GP, paediatric GP and had a telephone consultation with the paediatric registrar at the hospital, all within 20 mins of arriving. Superb service. Obviously huge differences in areas/surgeries.

Constipation isn't an emergency and in most cases can be treated at home.

The nhs is struggling and on its knees. I personally think you have been a bit dramatic. Your child was seen and sorted in 6 hours. It could be much worse. I hope she feels better

I’m getting fed up too. I had my baby during lockdown 1. Had a nasty 3rd degree tear with lots of internal and external stitches. Back to back infections. I couldn’t see a midwife or doctor face to face. 4 rounds of antibiotics were prescribed over the phone. I was in a mess.

Two weeks ago my boy spiked a temp of 38.9 calpol and Nurofen weren’t bringing it down. He was so upset. Called doctor to be told no appointments left. Ring tomorrow. Tried 111 who called me back 6hrs later told me it was teething. Following day his temp is up to 39.3 and now not feeding. Called again no appointments. Phoned 111 they sent an ambulance (!) was told it was a chest infection despite no one at hospital listening to his chest or flung a full check. Sent home. Day three temp now 39.8 three days of calpol
And Nurofen doing nothing. Managed to get a face to face appointment to be told he had a severe infection in both his ear and in one ear it burst the drum. My poor boy was in agony for three days before he had the correct help. He’s 6 months old. Just awful. I get COVID is an issue but other people get other illness too. Covid is not the be all and end all