"My experience at Forth Valley GP Out of Hours service last night"

I am compelled to take the time to put into words how poor the experience was that I had last night, with my son who has tonsillitis. The GP had no people skills whatsoever and was unfriendly.  The GP's attention to cross infection was appalling. The doctor was extremely slow in everything that they did and there were unacceptable long waits between patients being seen. In addition, the staff we came into contact with, in general, lacked compassion or interest, and did little to help. My husband and I both work in the NHS and are embarrassed and incredibly disappointed.

We arrived in the waiting room with my teenage son for a late evening appointment that we had been given. He had a high temperature and just wanted to be in his bed.

As we arrived it was apparent that moments earlier there had been an incident with another patient, a child. One of the receptionists had come over to have a look as we arrived but then retreated and sat-or hid-behind their computer screen leaving the patient and their relatives to deal with the situation. 

Staff seemed disinterested!  The receptionist did not communicate this with the patient or family or offer her any reassurance at all.  They just sat behind her computer screen. Then the doctor appeared from a doorway down the hall calling the patient's name.  A family friend explained what had happened. Astonishingly the doctor just retreated back to their room showing no interest in the situation. Another 5 minutes went by and it's now about 10.30 and I thought my son would be taken instead. My son's appointment had been at 10pm.  The young patient and their family eventually got seen by the doctor.

My very unwell son still sat there waiting patiently.

They appeared about 10 minutes later and called a taxi, sat down in the waiting area and young patient was very unwell.  Still the receptionist sat 10 feet away. Meanwhile my husband and I helped. 

Eventually the doctor called my son at about 10.45 or 10.50 perhaps.  Good luck my husband said! ''I'll give the doctor the benefit of the doubt'', I thought. We followed the GP into a room where they were already sitting with their back to me when I walked in. Without turning round the doctor barked at me 'close the door'.  I found the doctor rude, cold and unpleasant.

My son could barely speak with his very swollen throat so I started to explain why  I had phoned the NHS. The reason was that, although we suspected it was tonsillitis, the University had issued an email to all students today informing them that some students had contracted mumps.  We were wanting to get our son checked because he was so unwell. I never got to explain this because the doctor abruptly cut me off and pointed at my son to explain.

The doctor began to thoroughly examined him but did not wash their hands first.  The doctor told him he had tonsillitis and then left the room-for at least 5 minutes.  The doctor left their very large bag open on the desk in front of us along with their personal belongings including a diary and phone. Alongside all of this on the desk, right in front of my son sat a cardboard sick-bowl filled with tongue spatulas and tissues-obviously from the examinations before us. It was very apparent that attention to cross infection control and cleanliness and the doctor's personal security was non-existent.  It was disgusting and the potential for spread of infection between the doctor and patients was alarming. 

My son and I sat in complete disbelief at everything that we had witnessed over the last hour  up to this point. The doctor returned with tablets - not the right ones - sighed - then went off again for another few minutes.  I felt the doctor was slow and disorganised. My son was given antibiotics and painkillers and we left.

When we returned to the waiting room the cleaner had arrived to freshen up the waiting room. My husband had watched her and said she was excellent. She had asked him if he had seen the incident and exactly where it had been and what seats were affected and thoroughly washed everything down. Hallelujah! Someone had done a good job!