A Scots mum whose toddler developed a concerning rash and became lethargic waited more than one hour on a phone call to NHS 24 before taking matters into her own hands and rushing her daughter to A&E.
Stephanie Perez, from Oxgangs, had to take two-year-old Ella to the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh on Monday, November 28, when no one responded to her NHS 24 call as her daughter continued to deteriorate.
The 32-year-old waited 90-minutes to speak to someone on the phone line in a bid to take pressure off of emergency departments but little Ella continued to develop a worrying rash and a high temperature, as well as becoming lethargic.
Stephanie, who waited a further two hours to be seen in the busy hospital, said she would have attended A&E sooner if she knew the NHS call back would have taken as long, Edinburgh Live reports.
The mum-of-three said: "My two-year-old Ella was unwell since Thursday (November 24) and had a really high temperature.
"I gave her Calpol and monitored it but it just got worst over the weekend. She got a red rash on her cheeks and then on her body so I was getting really worried.
"I kept pressing a glass to it and then I tried to phone the doctors on Monday and then the chemist but they were closed to a local bank holiday.
"She got progressively worse so I phoned NHS 24, I have used it before and got through straight away - the automated message said there are wait times of up to 60 minutes.
"I had no other option so stayed on the phone waiting to speak to someone. After 30 minutes on the phone, it cut out and then I phoned back and was on the phone for another 60 minutes."
With Stephanie unable to seek medical advice, she rushed to the emergency department when Ella's condition continued to get worse.
She explained: "At this point, I was too concerned and went to the hospital just in case.
"We saw a nurse after an hour and then after another hour or so we saw a doctor who listened to her chest and diagnosed Ella with a chest infection.
"I'm so glad we went, it could have been much worse. She was given antibiotics and is slowly recovering now.
"The doctor said the red rash on her face and then across her body was her body trying to fight the infection.
"It was terrifying you just don't know with rashes as there are so many out there."
Little Ella is currently off nursery but is now on the mend after the traumatic weekend.
Stephanie added: "I just wish I had gone sooner rather than later, I'm lucky I drive - think of all the other people trying to access healthcare right now who can't get to the hospital."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "NHS 24 works hard to ensure calls to its 111 service are answered as quickly as possible.
"We recognise that some patients have experienced longer wait times than normal due to increased demand.
“We will continue to support the service as it expands its services and workforce in line with demand.”
A spokesperson for NHS 24 also said: "As with the whole health service, NHS 24 is seeing increased demand and as a result, we have significantly expanded services and our workforce so that we can support as many people as possible.
"However, at peak times there will be a longer than usual waiting time to get through to our service and the messaging and measures outlined are designed to ensure people can get the right care in the right place at the right time.
"At the start of their call to 111, people are given a range of options to safe and effective care via our automated telephone messaging system."
They also added: "At the busiest times this will also advise the latest call wait time and advise callers where they can get care if their needs are less urgent. For example, in the case of an emergency, callers will always be advised to dial 999.
"The clear signposting gives people options that mean for non-urgent concerns they may choose to call their GP when the practice reopens or seek help from their local community pharmacy, or via our symptom checkers on NHSinform.scot."
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