A Dundee mum has told how her six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Strep A and scarlet fever just hours after being sent home from A&E.
Leah McLaren, from Lochee, was taken to Ninewells Hospital by dad Richard McLaren after the youngster was “screaming in pain” and “displaying a clear rash” on Monday.
But mum Carol Knight was unhappy at the level of care offered at A&E.
She now wants an apology from NHS Tayside.
The health board insists Leah was quickly assessed and told to see a doctor for treatment – with its emergency department under “intense pressure”.
NHS Tayside advice says patients who may have the condition should not go to A&E unless it is an emergency, and should contact a GP or NHS24 in the first instance.
Carol says Richard had tried to contact NHS24 about his daughter’s symptoms – which included a rash, ear pain, stomach ache, nausea and feeling hot and cold.
But due to a long wait on the phone, he decided to take her to A&E instead – fearing she needed to be seen urgently.
Concerns over rash and pain in ear
Carol said: “When Leah was seen by the nurse sometime after midnight, Richard told her about our daughter’s condition and also his main concerns were the pain in her ear and the rash on her body and face.”
Carol claims the family were then told Leah could not be treated at A&E and she was sent away, with advice to give her painkillers.
They then contacted NHS24 the following morning, by which time Carol says Leah was shaking and suffering from convulsions.
She said: “They sent us immediately to Kings Cross Hospital (out-of-hours GP service).
“They diagnosed my daughter with a burst ear drum, scarlet fever and Strep A.
“She was then given the appropriate care. It’s a huge thank you to them that Leah is now recovering well at home with a course of antibiotics.”
NHS Tayside says services under ‘intense pressure’
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “We have received a complaint from the family and will respond to their specific concerns directly.
“Our services are under intense pressure and our emergency department (ED) teams are working extremely hard to ensure patients attending ED are seen and assessed by a senior doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
“In this case, the patient was initially assessed within 15 minutes of arrival and had a consultation with one of the ED consultants within one hour.
“Patients who do not require emergency treatment are directed to alternatives such as NHS24, their GP or the out-of-hours GP service.
“This ensures that those who require emergency care are seen by our specialist staff as quickly as possible.
“Our message to the public is very clear this winter as our services face unprecedented demand.
“We would urge people to support us by knowing where to go to get the right care in the right place.
“If someone has an urgent care need which is not a life-threatening emergency, they should always call NHS 24 on 111 so that they can be directed to the most appropriate service for their needs.”
Latest Strep A figures
The latest weekly data from Public Health Scotland shows eight new cases of serious Strep A have been reported across all age groups, down from 10 the previous week.
Five deaths in Scotland were linked to the Strep A infection between Christmas and New Year.
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