Out of hours medical access problem

Councillor Robin Parker

Councillor Robin Parker was born with a defective heart valve and had to have it replaced in 2004. One of the results of that is that if he has any intrusive dental work done then he has to take antibiotics to avoid infection entering the replacement valve with potentially dire consequences.

On Christmas Bank Holiday Monday Councillor Parker developed toothache, which was still there by Tuesday, and so he obtained an emergency appointment with his dentist. The dentist diagnosed a tooth abscess and prescribed a course of antibiotics prior to treatment.

By the following Saturday night he had only one antibiotic left for the morning and was in severe pain - which paracetomol was not touching. His main concern was not the pain, but what risk he would be at if the abscess burst and the poison went into his blood stream.

Councillor Parker telephoned NHS Direct. The recording directed him to various places, none of which would have been of any help, and was advised that if he were to hang on it could be up to four hours from contact to when a nurse could call back. He had little choice and hung on until a telephonist answered. She again explained the waiting time. Councillor Parker explained his situation and asked if he would be “in trouble” if the abscess were to burst.

The telephonist said she would run the question before a senior nurse. She came back and said Councillor Parker would have to wait for a nurse to call him back. Councillor Parker repeated his question and asked what the nurse had said. She said that she had been told that I had to wait in the queue.

Councillor Parker said: “To me this was like the old style doctor’s receptionist; why should he be told, he’s only the patient. I told her that this was literally a waste of time and hung up.

“I then tried the out of hours GP service. After two or three minutes of recorded message and music from Bardoc, I was cut off deliberately. I redialled and the same thing happened.

“I therefore was in a position where I could have no help other than by dialling 999 which I thought would be over the top at that stage, but would do if the abscess were to burst.

"I then made my own medical decision and took the last antibiotic early in the knowledge that I had a stock of pre-treatment sachets that I could fall back on during Sunday prior to contacting the dentist for more on Monday. Fortunately, this worked.

“My reason for raising this is as an example of what the public may experience from what ought to be a helpful service but, on this occasion, was found seriously wanting by someone with a potentially life threatening condition.”