I had to use the NHS 24 service for my 6 week old son on a Saturday night- 20 minute wait to speak to a call handler called Laura who was wonderful. Very helpful and friendly who helped direct us to the out of hours service.
I then received a phone call from someone at the Douglas Street clinic and was told that they had reached capacity and were not reviewing or receiving any more patients tonight or overnight. When I explained my son was 6 weeks old and all I felt he needed was a certain medication, I was told he would have to wait to speak to a GP on Monday or take him to A&E. I didn't feel it required A&E but I was left no other choice as it couldn't wait another 48 hours to potentially wait for a GP appointment.
We attended Monklands A&E where he was treated and discharged after 4 hours. The staff were lovely and very clearly were busy and under pressure with other families and patients who were put in the same position as us.
I appreciate the pressures on the health service at the minute, but to refuse treatment of a 6 week old baby, who I'm actively trying to keep out of hospital as I understand the pressures currently is when you truly know the system is broken.
"Refused treatment"
About: Douglas Street Community Health Clinic Douglas Street Community Health Clinic Hamilton ML3 0BP Lanarkshire Community Services / GP Out of Hours service Lanarkshire Community Services GP Out of Hours service NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service) NHS 24 NHS 24 (111 service) University Hospital Monklands / Emergency Department University Hospital Monklands Emergency Department ML6 0JS
Posted by andromeda37 (as ),
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