It appears our local hospital have changed their policy for emergency card holders. It used to be that if your child was having probs with asthma but wasn't in immediate need of medical attention you could be seen on the paediatric ambulatory care ward by a peads doctor (most of whom know the severe asthmatics and how best to treat them). This was a fantastic system as you bypassed A&E and could be seen if things were getting out of control but not quite at the emergency stage yet. This has helped my son so many times in the past as he often becomes unwell even on 40mg Pred and gets to the point that using 10 puffs with a spacer every few hours is not really effective. At this point he needs back to back nebs to bring him up for a bit. His sats don't usually drop until he is really struggling and then he needs IV's.
The hospial administrators have decided that all emergency card holders now have to present to A&E and if the doctors there can't manage they will then be referred to paeds.
This is a huge blow to us as we have had so many arguments in A&E as they don't understand Jay's asthma. He doesn't wheeze and is very rarely distressed which gives a false picture of how unwell he is. Our local won't give nebs if sats are above 92% and don't listen when you say he's been using 10 puffs every 2 hours for the past few days. They just get out a spacer, give 10 puffs of Ventolin and send you on your merry way!
I am so disappointed they have changed the system. I have to fight anyway to actually get Jay to go to hospital in the first place and he only agrees (and very reluctantly) if he feels he is tired and needs nebs. If he has to go through A&E and be treated with spacers he is just going to refuse to go. This is going to lead to a far worse attack as he won't be able to access the help he needs before he gets to this stage.
How do other peoples hospitals deal with non-emergency attacks?
Not A Happy Bunny
A & E Care Admission or not admission?
