"This has been most distressing for my daughter."

My daughter's toe began to look a little red and infected. I rang the GP who asked me to send a photo and they prescribed antibiotics.  3 weeks later there was no improvement, so I rang again. A second dose was prescribed. The third time I rang I actually asked if she could see a doctor. I found the receptionist was most unhelpful and said we should go to urgent care. I was very worried as my daughter had a history of osteomyelitis.

The doctor in Downpatrick was most attentive and did an xray and culture swab. They also lanced the wound and sent us back to the GP who saw us 5 days later. They did a blood test and it came back clear. We were told to bathe it in Dettol. They also said going on holiday would help....the salt water. She could not enjoy the holiday as her toe was so unsightly. I took her to a pharmacy in Spain and the pharmacist seemed horrified that the doctor had not treated it. They gave us antibiotic spray and cream which did not really help. 

At the end of July.....nearly 2 months later I contacted the podiatry dept in Lisburn and managed to get an appointment at the end of August. The podiatrist was from the Ulster Hospital....filling in. They said my daughter needed surgery to remove her toe nail, which may grow back. She also said there was an option to put acid on it to prevent growth, but I wasn't keen. 

The surgery was scheduled a few weeks later, following another X-ray. The day before someone phoned to say it couldn't be done as I hadn't signed consent. I told them I wasn't given forms and asked could they email them. They said they needed done 24hrs before and the podiatrist should have asked me to sign them at the previous appointment. They said we would go back on the waiting list for the next round of appointments. At this stage I had to keep my daughter off school as she could not put her foot in a shoe and was in excruciating pain. No pain relief was ever prescribed. 

My husband rang last Wednesday and the podiatrist agreed to see her today. They are going to perform nail surgery next week but has now told my daughter she will lose her nail permanently.  This is most distressing for a 12 year old girl who now remains in pain for another week. 

I am just appalled by the treatment of a young child by our National Health Service.