"Rude, condescending nurse practitioner"

I brought my child to the medical centre, a 2 minute walk from their school, this evening due to acute and extreme ear pain. I had been called at work by the school club to pick them up early as they were very poorly.

I was told one thing by the receptionist and something different by the nurse practitioner we saw.

The receptionist said I could telephone for an appointment or wait for the same day team.

I decided to wait for the same day team as my child was in a lot of pain and it was 5pm. I didn't want to leave it overnight for an appointment.

We waited for 30 mins to be seen which was satisfactory (having waited 1 hour for a routine appointment in the past). The nurse practitioner (I assume a prescriber) we saw didn't introduce themselves.

They checked my childs temperature which was very high. They then checked their ears which were both inflamed.

The nurse did not say if they were infected or not but proceeded to print a prescription for my child for antibiotics.

The nurse then proceeded to give me a telling off for bringing my child into the surgery and that they do not offer a 'walk-in service'. (After being booked in, without question, by the receptionist!) They said I should have telephoned to make an appointment or talk to someone over the telephone to get a prescription - does this mean you are now writing prescriptions without even seeing the patient??!!

I told the nurse that that would have meant driving my child home in pain, only to have to come out again to pick up a prescription, which was unlikely to have been done this evening. Even if it had I would not want to bring my child out in the rain again.

Bearing in mind my child was in a lot of pain. The nurse continued to argue the point that I should not have just walked in with a sick child as it is using up time that others need to be seen (there was nobody left in the waiting room I noted!!)

I suggested that if I had not come in now then I would have had to turn up at A&E with my child at night.

If a child is in pain, it is surely an emergency. The nurse practitioner said I would not have to waste the time of A&E and should telephone 111 - a service that is worse than useless - in order to get a prescription over the telephone - again, is this allowed without seeing the patient??

If a patient is in severe pain, I thought that we should get immediate service. Maybe I am wrong.

(I had treated the pain with painkillers for the last few days but today was particularly acute and my child had clearly deteriorated.)

I left feeling completely insulted.

I work in the NHS, I am the last person to waste anyone's time. I understand pressures.

I would not have walked in if it wasn't an emergency.

This was in my view warranted as daughter was in pain.

I will be taking this complaint further. Disgusted with the treatment today.

Courtesy, kindness and respect should be at the forefront of all NHS staff. I would never speak to my patients in this way.