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"Unfriendly Pediatrics Dr"

About: Perth Children's Hospital / Clinical Immunology - Outpatient Clinic D

(as a parent/guardian),

I took my child to see an Immunologist Specialist at PCH, to have allergy test done.   We saw a senior registrar who I felt was nothing but rude and passed comments that left me very uncomfortable. My child has a very sensitive skin and had reacted to something prior to our appointment, i could not give them any antihistamine as we are prohibited from giving any before allergy test, so they presented with very lil rash on their face and neck.

The Dr read the previous Dr 's notes and it was a detailed note of my child's history. The Dr went on to say this is a very unwell and sick child, they have a difficult life and they have a lot gong on that's really bad. The Dr insisted that I put steroid cream on my child for the rash as they have Eczema and their words were just smother them with that steroid cream for about 5 days. I tried to explain that this was a reaction to something my child ate hence we are having allergy tests done but the Dr kept on saying how sickly my child was. 

To top it all they took us to the nurse to have epi-pen education and they introduced us and next thing the Dr whispered something to the nurse , something they didn't want us to hear seeming like it was them telling the nurse something about my child, it was uncomfortable and by the time we were done with the consult I just wanted to leave and wished we hadn't come at all.

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Responses

Response from Ellen Taylor, Medical Co-Director, Medicine Division, Perth Children’s Hospital 5 months ago
Ellen Taylor
Medical Co-Director, Medicine Division,
Perth Children’s Hospital
Submitted on 29/11/2024 at 7:03 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia on 2/12/2024 at 9:59 AM


Dear P----dparent

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your recent visit to our clinic. I am very sorry to hear about the experience you had with our senior registrar. We strive to provide compassionate and respectful care to all families, and it is concerning to hear that you felt uncomfortable and dismissed during your visit. Your child's sensitive skin and the reaction prior to the appointment were understandably worrying for you, especially given the need to avoid antihistamines before allergy testing.

The comments made by the doctor about your child's health and the insistence on using steroid cream without fully understanding your concerns about an allergic reaction are not reflective of the level of care we aim to provide. I apologise for any distress this may have caused.

Additionally, I am concerned to hear that the doctor whispered something to the nurse that was not shared with you, making you feel uneasy. This is not the experience we want our families to have.

We take your feedback seriously and will address these concerns to ensure that such incidents do not happen again. Your child's well-being and your comfort during consultations are very important to us.

Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention. We are committed to improving our services and providing the compassionate care that you and your child deserve.

Please reach out to the Child and Family Liaison Service by phone on 6456 0032 or email at CAHSFeedback@health.wa.gov.au if you have any further concerns.

Warm regards,

Ellen

Dr Ellen Taylor
Medical Co-Director, Medicine Division

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