"The Risk Of Sepsis"

Attended Leigh Walk In Centre recently with an adult with learning difficulties who had a terrible skin infection. Waited 4 1/2 hours to be seen. Was sent to triage within 30 minutes of arrival, and seen by a medical professional who absolutely stank of body odour, to the point where we could not stand to be in the room. 

We are very tolerant of most things and can stomach a lot, but the smell was so strong that the adult seeking medical attention was distressed and wanted to leave triage, which would’ve been detrimental to his health. I feel that in 2025, situations like this are very preventable and there are simple solutions, like deodorant. When something is so bad that your patients don’t want to sit in a room with you, to the detriment of their own health, there must be change. 

After 4 1/2 hours of waiting, and the adult with learning difficulties finally called into treatment and was seen last out of the whole room at 8:30pm.  The clinic closes at 9pm. People had arrived after us with less severe injuries and were treated and seen before us. He or his companions did not expect special treatment, despite the infection worsening and the sepsis risk.

He was seen by a medical professional who insisted on asking him direct questions even though his companions had explained that he cannot understand and speak for himself. His legal guardian was with him, as was a second family member, yet the medical professional continued to ask him complicated questions that he didn’t understand, and when his companions tried to intervene and answer those questions, they were spoken over and the medical professional was very dismissive.

Treatment was given and advice on how to track infection was also given. The medical professional then warned about the risks of sepsis, gave us paraphernalia and explained that the patient would need to attend a dressing clinic in 48 hours, to have the skin redressed - then physically laughed in our faces and said - Good luck trying to get an appointment though!

To laugh at people that are already worried beyond belief, about the risks of sepsis, is beyond inappropriate. This is an adult with a very obvious disability and learning difficulties, who doesn’t understand the situation fully, and he’s having a medical professional laugh in his face, after warning him & his companions about a life threatening condition that can occur. 

The wait for a dressing clinic, that we were told we need within 48 hours, is 3 weeks. The medical professional knew this, and thought that was funny. This is unacceptable, it may be reality, but it is unacceptable. No other advice was given, no alternative guidance or information, other than if it gets any worse, to come back to the walk in centre. Where I’d assume we have to wait another 4 1/2 hours for basic medical care. 

I felt on this visit, that staff were very unprofessional and lacked knowledge on how to interact with and make allowances for adults with disabilities and learning difficulties. Both questioning the adult despite being told that he doesn’t understand, and then laughing in his face is so beyond inappropriate. 

We are now left in a predicament where we have been told he needs medical attention within 48 hours but we can’t be seen for 3 weeks, unless we go back to this walk in centre. Which as I have explained, hasn’t left the best impression. I appreciate staff work hard and have long days, but they have chosen that profession. I imagine it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but they aren’t forced to work there.

 People visiting these walk in centres are often having terrible days, are probably in a lot of pain and worried out of their minds. To be met with unprofessional behaviour is the icing on the cake. Staff may have had a long days, but so have their patients. Just because the NHS is free doesn’t excuse bad attitudes and unprofessional conduct.