"My child's assessment"

Attended PHC for my 4mth old baby following assessment by Health Direct who requested we take my child in due to fevers, shallow & rapid breathing, elevated heart rate and change in temperament. I am a first time parent and this was the first time my child presented as unwell. Triage nurses were lovely, obs complete & a swab showed COVID +ve.

We were then sent to the waiting room amongst other sick adults for over an hour. I feel a section should have been provided for children/ infants as there were several other babies and children present at the same time. OBS were not reviewed in this time. Once taken into the assessment unit we weren’t seen by a nurse for a further 1.5hrs, so from the initial obs complete over, 3hrs had passed. for a baby with a temperate, changes to respiratory function and elevated heart rate, I feel this is lacks basic duty of care. Once the nurse came & checked the obs, temperature had stabilised & breathing was within normal limits, heart rate remained elevated, the doctor didn’t review for another 45minutes. The consultant reviewed from the doorway, obviously not wanting to mask & gown up as my baby had COVID. They did no physical exam & relied on the obs taken 45mins prior. I was encouraged by them not to return to hospital if deterioration happened because 'we know it’s just COVID' and when I asked what are the signs of deterioration I should look for and what I should do I recall they said 'just give Panadol & wait it out'. They then followed up by reassuring me by saying that 'even when COVID was at its peak in the pandemic the babies weren’t dying'. 

I felt rushed & dismissed by the consultant. I felt there was an overall lack of attention for such a young infant and poor set up in an infant being left in an adult ward instead of being taken to the paediatric unit. I am not upset at being discharged, I am disappointed in the lack of a proper medical review (not even physically touching the patient or redoing basic obs), poor medical advice on potential deterioration signs and what to do in the instance of deterioration. I come from a healthcare background & feel the lack of time & care provided was appalling. I acknowledge the clear bed pressure and likely staffing issues, however I feel these pressures shouldn’t be noticed so obviously by patients. 

Extremely disappointed in the care provided to my child.