"My sons medical care"

My teenage son was diagnosed with a pleural effusion on his right lung in August and we were told he would be in Forth valley hospitals children ward all weekend at least. He was under treated and discharged the following day.

He ended up back in hospital a couple of days later as he was getting worse but I was told this was a side effect of the antibiotics. When he had a chest X-ray that day it was discovered he had a pleural effusion on his left lung also. He was looked after brilliantly by the nurses on the ward until being discharged. Even though he still had fluid on both lungs which was no better and this concerned me.

He finished his antibiotics at the start of September and is making slow progress which we understood would potentially be the case. He then had a follow up appointment at paediatric outpatients mid September, where he saw a registrar. After examining my son they commented they thought he still had fluid on one lung, sent him for a chest X-ray and told us to go home and we would get a phone call with the results. This call did not happen.

I chased these results 4 times and left various voicemails - nobody called me back. I then called the childrens ward to ask for help. A doctor called back which was great. They confirmed he still has fluid on one lung which hasn’t gotten any better since leaving hospital and we were told to rely on the medicine of time.  So now my son, who has been unwell for months, has fluid on his lung and getting no treatment. He is lethargic, irritable and looks hellish. I was told by the registrar he would be seen by a consultant 4 weeks after the appointment with them. No appointment has been sent.

So I followed this up and the staff member I spoke to at paediatric outpatient department was very helpful but my son does not have an appointment and is unlikely to get an appointment until early/mid November. The staff member is going to see if they can see him sooner which is great but overall this service has not been good enough. I have a miserable teenager who is fed up feeling so tired and unwell. The reason I am writing this here is to ask for help and to highlight the issues we have had. I am at my wits end. And I’d have hoped for a better and more joined up service from the NHS. Especially for a child.