I've just been watching Good Morning Britain and there was a really sad story of a little girl who was sent home by her GP because she was a few minutes late to an emergency appointment and she died.
It's ridiculous she was obviously needing to be seen
A couple of weeks ago I went to the GP after going to A&E the night before and wheezing again and all she did was listen and sent me home with a prescription of prednisolone which I took as soon as I got home and by that time I was really wheezy but I just took 10 ventolin so I could give the pred a chance to work but a couple of hours later I needed an ambulance and I was admitted to a ward this time and was there until 16:00 the next day because I kept getting wheezy I had 3 back to back nebulisers and loads of inhaler
But I just felt like the GP should've done more like given me a nebuliser there she said I was only a little wheezy but that wheeze is making struggle and I know for a fact if I saw a different GP I would've got a nebuliser. I didn't say anything at the time because she's the doctor not me but I do know when my body is struggling
Asthma is a serious condition that needs to be taken seriously
A poor girl died because her GP wouldn't treat her because she was a bit late to an EMERGENCY appointment
Sorry I just wonder if any of you have seen this on the news and what your opinion is on this ?
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Erin001
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I needed an emergency appointment once and was there twenty minutes early. How long do you expect a doctor to wait for someone who may not actually turn up?
But a 5 year old has no control over when she arrives so he should have seen her asap not refused to treat her. At least he should have told her parents/carers to take her straight to hospital.
I'm early to all my appointments sometimes, I've also had many emergency appointments due to asthma and been there early.
But this woman had to get transport within 25 minutes. Who knows how long that took because she had to get the bus.
She did turn up as well she was only a few minutes late, this girl obviously needed the GP to see her. The GP should've read the note from her consultant about how severe hers was.
3 people every day die from this horrible condition 2 of them could've been prevented. this little girl's death could've been prevented if she was seen by a GP.
I can see the point on throwing out timing but from what I understand the mother arrived at 5 mins past but then had to wait in the queue for 10 mins. Not the fault of the GP but seems like there was an admin blockage once she actually arrived. The mother did say when she booked that she was likely to be a little late presumably due to transport. I have been told at times to get there when I can for emergency appts and wait rather than strict timing.
Agree that the GP could at least have advised them to go to hospital or something. Did the GP know why the appt had been booked to start with?
My point about my emergency appts and being told to wait while I can is that surely if she came late she could have been fitted in rather than being sent away, as another poster.was discussing the issue of late running for a surgery.
IMO this isn't acceptable for an adult either to be turned away in this kind of situation without any attempt to look at the clinical situation - adults die of asthma too, the GP should have checked and at least briefly advised. It's tragic that a 5 year old has died but if it had been the mother for herself I would still think they should have tried to see her or advised her to go to hospital. It is more shocking that of course the child is not responsible for being late.
I was also pointing out that there seem to have been some admin problems with the entire surgery and that while yes being late is not ideal a lot of the lateness was due to the surgery's own processes which makes it mroe shocking.
Yes, absolutely shocking all round. Feel so sorry for the mother. She told the receptionist when she phoned that she would struggle to make the time given. She had to find care for her baby first.
Yesterday there was a bit on BBC’s regional news programme, Look North, about a thirteen year old girl who died from asthma. That was more about highlighting how serious the condition can be, and also to tell of a new website, beatasthma.co.uk/resources/..., specifically aimed at young children and teenagers with asthma.
I followed this tragic story, so sad. The GP was let off with a slap on the wrist - she should have been struck off.
Lots of ‘what ifs’ but at the end of the day the little girl and her poor family were let down in the worst possible way by the medical profession. The usual mantra ‘lessons will be learned’ just makes me sick.
Angievere I compltely agree with you the GP accepted the failings so it is clear negligence a little girl died because they were too rigid on process etc it is common sense for GP to simply advise unfortunately I am not able to see you as I am with another patient but if your child is serious please go to A and E or a walk in clinic. It takes 2 seconds to give sensible advice.
Exactly! From what I have read the GP was known to be brusque and could be intimidating. So when she said ‘no’ to the receptionist she wasn’t challenged. Not a young doctor either, in her 50s so should have known better. Amazed she was then employed by another surgery. Still say she should have been struck off.
Good morning , is sad when we hear this kind of stories...back in 2016 I had very high temperature (39-40C)for a week , pain when sitting on back and coughing very bad, sweating etc ..I went many times to the GP , and last time he told me that I’ m having flu and my body is responding well, is fighting...next day I went to A&e , I was admitted in hospital for 4 days with pneumonia treated with nebulisers, high doses of antibiotics, and many others..that was also the time when I found out that I had asthma for long time ago only I wasn’t aware of ...
Doctors do get it wrong sometimes, they are not infallible. It’s happened to me too as a child - GP told my very anxious Mum I was ok and that night I was admitted to hospital with severe asthma. Happened with my asthmatic son too, GP said he was ok (the “no wheeze” mantra) and that evening we were in A&E with him.
But what happened in this poor child’s case was gross negligence on the GP’s part. To have turned the child away without even looking at her notes can not be excused on any level. The GP is still practising by the way, albeit in another practice. How is that right??
I think minor mistakes are ok but major ones .. sometimes things are obvious but GPs treat all the problems smaller or bigger quit the same ... to me didn’t happened just once ...almost every time when I’m sick I have to insist , to go many times so they will finally take me seriously ...asthma symptoms are changing very fast and complications are developing very quick ...doctors mistake is not an excuse when is about someone’s life..you cannot just “oops !s**t happens “. with things like this ...imagine they are doctors who save lives in very delicate situations ...things like coughing , heavy breathing wheezing are quite obvious...plus patients are many times treated like they are crazy and make up or are exaggerating....
Absolutely agree. Asthma is a complex condition and breathing problems can exacerbate very quickly, especially in young children. Doctors should always err on the side of caution with asthma. If nothing else, the publicity surrounding this sad case may make some doctors take more care.
That story was also featured on the Wright stuff on channel 5 ,with Mathew Wright. One of the panalist Jo was an Asthma sufferer, and another panel Member on there Laurie Turner, said Oh you can't die from Asthma.
How very wrong she was even Jo said to her here's proof in the paper. I think people like this Laurie Turner and a lot of other ignorant people need to learn about Asthma and how serious it can be to us who suffer with it.
Even the Managers in my work place are the same, catch your breath, go get a drink of water. ?????
Yeh the number of people I've had to say to them when they've said you can't die or it's not that 'I can die 3 people every die do die of asthma and I almost have died (not that they believed me) it's ridiculous that we have to explain ourselves to others whereas if someone said they suffered with another condition they wouldn't get the questioning and getting told the billions of myths they believe
They don't realise how hard it is to struggle to breathe or how painful wheezing and tightness is
But I'm no longer actually scared of my asthma due to the amount of nebulisers and the amount of bad but not severe days ( I've also had a few severe days too) I've had to endure because I know it's not severe enough for a nebuliser yet that I've just got used to it
But having to suffer that and the pain of people who don't understand
But luckily I'm in college with a class of people who seem understand and the teacher definitely does cos she has a mild form and she teaches me level 2 health and social care
But in previous places I've had kids say your not going to die from it and I'm like I almost have haven't needed ICU but been blue and in respiratory distress and needing loads of paramedics in one sitting and loads of docs and nurses around me in resus
And loads of stories I could tell them but just simplify or ignore those comments
I hope you don't get too much grief but I know we do and I doubt it would change as much as I'd love to
My son got a lot of hassle at secondary school because he was off with severe asthma such a lot. Even the ‘school nurse’ was clueless. As a parent I had to be very vigilant and persistent with some health practitioners.
Yes the gp didn't review the records despite earlier asthma exacerbations not great considering it was a child. I wouldn't do that as a childrens nurse. I don't think people take asthma seriously. I didn't know how bad it is till recently I got asthma, I wouldn't wish on worst enemy but still you get people making comments like it can't be that bad or it's not that cold. I feel sorry for these kids that have it. I think you have to be persistent with medical professionals it's worrying as a media so professional never mind being a child or a old or vulnerable person as no wonder this happens.
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