"Let down by the doctor when I was seeking help"

My husband recently had an operation and on release from hospital experienced symptoms which were not right. I telephoned the gp who arranged a home visit. The doctor came out and advised a virus unrelated to the operation and advised to take pain killers but said if the problem persisted to seek further advice. This was on the Monday by Thursday the symptoms persisted but I was at work for the day and was shocked to see my husband’s condition on return and phoned the out of hours service.

The symptoms were explained to a call handler and a phone was returned by the doctor who advised my husband to go the drop in. He was running a high temp and was being sick and was having difficulty walking due to his condition. I was then unclear if I could continue with the pain killers as this was the only thing that relieved his temp and because I cannot drive I needed advice. I phoned the service back and again got a call handler who advised me they would again seek advice I received another call from the doctor who again asked to speak to my husband but I was not able to get the advice I needed so asked to speak to the doctor.

I explained the situation that I could not get to the drop in and their response was you managed to get him from the hospital you can manage the drop-in and as he was not terminally ill it was policy not to come out. They further told me they had twice spoken to my husband who sounded perfectly fine to them; by this response I felt they were implying I was wasting their time. By now it was ten o’clock so I had no other option but to phone a relative to take him to the drop in. On seeing a doctor she telephoned the hospital and he was admitted with a blood clot. I don’t think I have asked for a home visit since my children were small probably 25 years ago and feel very let down and humiliated by the out of hours doctor who was so rude to me when I was seeking help