A BABY boy ended up rushed to hospital in an ambulance after his young mum was told to get a Covid-19 test for the sick four-month-old before being allowed to see a doctor.
Caitlyn Darroch, from Port Glasgow, has hit out after she had to 'jump through hoops' to get help for her unwell little boy Cody.
She told how an ambulance was eventually needed for Cody after he turned blue.
His family are now calling for NHS bosses to lift restrictions on access to health services as lockdown eases.
Caitlyn, 19, from Islay Avenue, said: "Cody hadn't been well and his temperature was high so we'd phoned NHS 24 the night before and they told us if we were still concerned to phone our own doctors.
"We called the next day because he was struggling to breathe, had a cough and wasn't holding down milk but were told he'd have to get a Covid test.
"We took him to the test centre and they said he was the youngest baby they'd had yet.
"We didn't think they'd need a test to see a baby.
"But we didn't get the results until the next day and that was a Saturday, so we couldn't then go to the doctor."
Later that day Cody took a turn for the worse and his gran, Kirsty Darroch, took him to Inverclyde Royal.
At A&E she was advised to go to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow, where Cody was monitored and sent home with a note for his GP.
Just days later, on June 15, Cody deteriorated badly, so much so that he turned blue.
Kirsty said: "We phoned the GP practice but it was closed for lunch.
"I didn't know what else to do so we phoned for an ambulance and he was rushed up to Glasgow."
At the hospital his dad Brady McCabe, 18, was told to wait outside while Caitlyn was on her own with Cody.
Thankfully Cody responded well in the hands of the medics and was soon on the mend, but his family are concerned at the way the situation was initially handled.
Gran Kirsty said: "I find it so frustrating we had to get a Covid test before a doctor could see Cody.
"We've never had a problem with the practice before but we are speaking out so people know what is happening.
"People are going into pubs together, they are in crowds watching football matches.
"With a baby you can never take any chances and I just don't understand why it was all made so difficult for us.
"Even when we took him to IRH they said we should go to the Queen Elizabeth.
"Why do we need to go all the way to Glasgow to get a baby seen to?
"When he ended up turning blue only his mum was allowed in and it was so busy, because everyone is just going to A&E."
Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan says he's been contacted by a number of people over the past year unhappy about access to GP services.
He added: "Practices have been open throughout the pandemic and have still seen patients when the GP feels this has been needed.
"However, I appreciate that the majority of patients are receiving either a telephone or video call appointment.
"GPs have stated that operating this way has enabled them to deal with the increased demand they have seen throughout the pandemic.
"That said, patients who ultimately need to see a doctor should be able to see one.
"I do not know the specific details surrounding this case but I’d be happy to take this up if the family wished.
"I agree that as society opens up, GPs should be seeing more patients face to face, especially children.”
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde said it was aware of the family's case.
A spokesman said: "We are concerned to hear they were unhappy with the level of care they received and we would welcome them getting in touch to discuss their experience.
“We are working closely with the government to ensure our services are as accessible as possible in the context of Covid-19.
"In line with national guidance, our GP practices offer a blend of telephone, virtual and face-to-face consultations to patients which means that now GPs are providing more consultations overall."
The board said the number of face-to-face appointments is increasing and face to face consultations are provided 'where clinically required'.
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