"E.Coli and HUS of post-transplant patient"

It is with huge disappointment that I have to submit this review for my local NHS trust, after moving to the area within the last 12 months this is just the 2nd time I have attended Russell's Hall Urgent Care following the advice of 111.

On Monday 14th of August I began to develop extreme sickness and diarrhoea in my home with symptoms very similar to gastroenteritis which I had had before. Within under 48 my symptoms intensified and I began to experience small amount of blood in my stools. On Tuesday the 15th of August I called 111 late on the evening and they urged me to attend the Urgent Care Centre for an appointment. The doctor who saw me agreed that this may be a bought of gastroenteritis and explained that it should pass naturally. I explained to the doctor that I am a post-liver transplant patient taking immunosuppressant drugs and that I was concern about this. The doctor did an examination of my abdomen and was happy that everything seemed normal. I was sent on my way and advised to take nothing as the infection needed to leave my system of its own accord.

Over the next two days symptoms continued to instensify and blood was becoming more prominent in my stools. I attended my GP who took a stool sample but by the Thursday evening I was in extreme agony, not even managing to keep water down 86 hours later. I called 111 again, who almost sent an ambulance but I managed to get myself to Russell's Hall Urgent Care for an appointment. I explained the entire story to this new doctor, including my past medical history and my concerns for my liver and immunosuppressant drugs, and 3 or more days of passing pure blood in my stools. The doctor said that there was nothing they could do without a result from the stool sample, and prescribed me Imodium and Buscopan (Imodium I'd been advised by my GP not to take as it slows down the infection leaving the body). They sent me on my way In absolute agony, with no regard for my medical history, examination, blood test or anything. Utterly shocking.

By the Friday, I returned to my GP who also did nothing to help, and I was at my wits end. Out of my own initiative I contacted the liver registrar on call at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, as I am on out-patient there following my liver transplant. I explained my condition and they immediately advised I attend A&E at their hospital as a precaution. So on Friday 18th I drove myself to the QE hospital and within two hours in A&E I was admitted to hospital in a life-threatening condition, with stage 3 acute kidney damage, severe dehydration and anaemia (a HB count of 54!). I have since been in the hospital and I'm still here approaching my 12th night as an inpatient. I was diagnosed with E.Coli and very unfortunately a follow on syndrome known as HUS which is extremely dangerous and life threatening. I am fortunately on the road to recovery following the care at the QE but have lost all faith in Russell's Hall and will never attend with a medical emergency again!