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"My daughter was sent home after we waited 12 hours"

About: Altnagelvin Area Hospital / Emergency department Altnagelvin Area Hospital / Paediatrics

(as a parent/guardian),

I took my daughter to out of hours on at night as she was extremely unwell so therefore I took her to a&e last night for a second opinion as I knew something was wrong her temperature was 39.8 and she was vomiting, not drinking or eating or she wasn’t giving me wet nappies. I was there for 12.30am.

I got called to triage that was fine they did what they had to do then told me to go back out to waiting area 20-25 minutes later she got called by one of the nurses and they said we are going to move you around to the paediatrics area so she can be seen over there where the children be seen, so that was ok.

Then I was over there for 1.30am they left me sitting from 1.30am to 8am the next morning they did a swab around 7am but before then they didn’t even checked her temperature or check her , they then called me into the room to be checked at 8.30am I asked them 4 times to check her temperature as she was boiling to touch and they kept leaving the room to go get equipment 4 times they left for ages so I then called them again after 30 minutes of waiting , the doctor then came in and took her temperature and it was 40.3

now my child is 1 years old then they said she was lethargic but then continued to send her home at 12pm  after sitting for 12 hours to be sent home with my child not drinking or giving wet nappies, the staff on last night might of been under pressure but you don’t leave a child sitting for 7/8 hours without being checked with a temperature that high and there was only 2 staff on the children’s bit I am so disappointed.

Anything could of happened my child specially a temperature that high and also my child was so lifeless she is normally a bubbly child never sits down and she couldn’t even lift her head and they still sent her home just because she sat up on the bed for 5 minutes and she looked “fine” so they sent her home 

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Responses

Response from Michelle Scott, Patient Client Experience Lead, Professional Nursing and AHP, Western Health and Social Care Trust last month
Michelle Scott
Patient Client Experience Lead, Professional Nursing and AHP,
Western Health and Social Care Trust

I am the gatekeeper of Care Opinion and 10,000 voices quality improvement initiative for the Western Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 21/05/2025 at 12:53
Published on Care Opinion at 12:53


picture of Michelle Scott

Hello RGoan,

My name is Michelle Scott Patient Client Experience lead for the trust. Thank you for leaving your feedback and I am so sorry for the delayed response to your story which has been shared with staff when published.

I have liaised with senior management and I am supporting the team with a response back with I hope you find helpful

"Dear RGoan, thank you for sharing your story with us. My name is Amy, manager of the dept. I am very sorry to hear of you and your daughters experience at the emergency dept. This is not the standard of care we hope for our patients and their families. As Care Opinion is anonymous, it is very difficult to respond and give an adequate explanation into your experience. I have shared your story with nursing and medical staff for discussion and potential learning opportunities highlighting the importance of good communication between patients and families and reviewing patients as indicated within our parameters.

I can fully appreciate it if you would like to discuss your experience more and would welcome you to speak in confidence to our patient client experience lead for the trust Michelle Scott on 07833402847 in the first instance.

We hope your daughter is doing well now"

kind regards

Amy

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