A Derby family faced a distressing six-hour wait in A&E for their baby, prompting an apology from hospital trust officials.
Elijah had a high fever and was getting floppy. They called 111, and the operator said it was serious. But when they got to A&E, they were told to wait five hours to see a doctor.
After two hours of waiting, Charlotte was worried. She went to the desk, saying Elijah was getting worse. A nurse told her it was because they were holding him. That was so upsetting for her.
They waited another two hours, feeling hopeless. After six and a half hours, Charlotte was in tears, asking how much longer it would be. The staff’s response was frustrating.
Finally, they decided to leave and went to their local GP. The GP quickly referred them to Queen’s Hospital Burton, where Elijah got the care he needed.
Charlotte said they arrived at midnight and left at 6:30 AM. She felt like they were begging for help at the first hospital.
Dr. Gis Robinson from the hospital apologized to the family. He acknowledged their stressful experience and explained that busy times can lead to longer waits.
He was glad to hear Elijah was recovering well at Queen’s Hospital. The family is grateful for the antibiotics that helped Elijah improve, even though the exact infection wasn’t identified.