"Shocking"

I am lucky enough to have not needed a GP for several years now. My son however unfortunately is not so fortunate. At 10 days old, he struggled to keep anything down, when trying to make an emergency appointment (which was in the days you could still make appointments) we were told it was a 3 week wait. We ended up in QA via ambulance as he was un responsive.

For the next 11 months, as our son spent 2-3 hours per night screaming in pain, after appointment and appointment we were basically continually fobbed off being told 'it's not a milk allergy, it's reflux', and 'if you don't make him have milk he'll develop an allergy' . We were reluctantly offered one type alternative milk and given the impression it was that or nothing. So when it didn't agree with him either (which I've since found is common) we felt lost and stuck.

In desperation we then paid for private appointment with a specialist. Within 30min he confirmed it as a milk allergy, removed the majority of his medication and gave us a plan. Within weeks we had a seemingly different child.

During the 11 months that we force fed him milk at the recommendation of Clanfield surgery, we have ended up giving him a 'dismobile' bowel as a result. At nearly 4 years old he still suffers from this.

I am left feeling our son has needlessly suffered horrendously for the first 11 months of his life, and has had issues and difficulties for the 3 years following. Why? Cost of alternative milk? Cost of a referral? Or just because they didn't want to go back on their original guess?

I tried to complain to the surgery when he was 18 months old. I was told to go on the NHS website. I did so but could find no obvious was to complain or raise concern. Already dissolutioned we gave up.