Parenting 
No Comments See a doctor???
No way…not for love nor money.
One would imagine that really, in a modern developed country, access to healthcare would be routine, simple even, but wait a minute, the last two instances when I’ve rung to try to get Georgia an appointment to be seen by a doctor, it’s NOT happened.
So yesterday, after four doses of Calpol and one of Calprofen, and she still had a fever, I decided to ring the surgery for a phone appointment with the Doctor, a Doctor, ANY Doctor! Because you see, at 10.30 am, it’s too late in the morning to expect to be allocated an appointment.
So anyway, after describing her symptoms to the receptionist (does she have medical training too???) she asks, Are you sure you’re happy with a phone consult?
Me: Well, do you have any more appointments left?
Receptionist: Well, no…but wait let me go ask.
After 5 minutes she gets back on the phone and whaddya know, i’ve now gone from ‘yes a doctor will ring you’ to…. the urgent duty nurse will ring you later this afternoon. That’s demotion of importance in my book!
Anyway, that was yesterday. G had her fever until mid-morning today and then all was well again, thankfully!
And what off that phone consult with the nurse? Well, she was a nice, polite, seemingly caring nurse, but the healthcare professionals must have lessons in medical-diversions. See, in the end, we took a drive to the surgery to let the nurse look over her, and we ended up with three, I kid you not, three different sample pots for a urine sample, just in case it’s a urinary tract infection….
And me, well, I fell for it. I know kids with UTI, they are usually in agony, in hospitals. It was highly highly highly unlikely that Georgia had UTI. And in hindsight, the three urine samples holders were a decoy, just there to make me feel like something had been done for her…..
And we are always left with the same advice…
If you feel she is getting worse or really needs more medical attention please don’t hesitate contact us again.
…. that’s because we won’t do anything for you now!
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