"2 shocking visits in the space of 2 weeks"

2 weeks ago I had to take my daughter (2years old) to the urgent care centre as she had suspected tonsillitis. We arrived at 19:30 hours and approvingly 2 hours later we were seen by the nurse. It then got to midnight when I asked the receptionist when she would likely be seen as I pointed out that nobody (out of the 5-6 other people waiting) had been called by the doctor or nurse in the last hour. I was informed that the doctor was on the telephone surgery and was the only doctor working. By 1:30am my daughter was pleading to go home as she hadn’t sleep in 18 hours by this point. I spoke to the receptionist again who was unable to say at what point she would be seem. I should add that still no further patients had been seen at this point. Myself and my partner decided to take her home and to see the GP the following day as it appeared that she just wouldn’t be seen any time soon. Suffice to say she was admitted to Northampton hospital the following day. Seen and treated within 2 hours. She had a virus and was given a course of antibiotics.

Today I took my son to the urgent care centre as he has an infection in his finger and was complaining of earache. I should point out that I don’t see the urgent care centre as anything but that. However, I almost lost my son as a baby so I know how quickly children can deteriorate with an infection. He arrived at 10am and I couldn’t not even comprehend the number of people in the waiting room. People were standing in the entrance as there was not even space to accommodate everybody. After having not been seen (by anybody) for 3 hours, I was then informed that the wait to be seen by the triage nurse was still another 5-6 hours. Again after another few hours it was decided to bring him home and hope he didn’t get worse.

I will now be up all night with him to ensure he doesn’t get and be calling the GP surgery in the morning.

I am appalled by the fact extra doctors were not called in to assist today as the waiting room was bursting. I know that is easier said than done, however the urgent care centre is failing and it’s scary to think that people will become seriously unwell, or worse, if things do not improve. When I attended with my daughter 2 doctors said their goodbyes to staff and went hone. I know in their profession they need sleep, however emergency service workers are not simply allowed to clock off and go home. They went and left 5 children, all under 5 in that waiting room for hours. I used to think the urgent care centre was incredible, but it isn’t anymore.

Again I want to add that I have only used the centre when I believed my children needed urgent care. I do not attend there rather than go to my GP surgery.