A dad was left “disgusted” at NHS doctors who missed a potentially fatal build-up of fluid on his son’s brain.
John Birkett rushed his son River-Peter Birkett-Joss to Grimsby A&E at Diana Princess of Wales Hospital on Saturday, July 23, after he began complaining about pains in his head.
At first the 31-year-old wasn’t too worried about his son as River has complex needs and is often ill, GrimsbyLive reported.
But after speaking to the 111 NHS line he was asked to take him to A&E. There doctors assessed him and sent him home after he had what they thought was just a viral infection.
However, less than 24 hours later the nine-year-old became ill once more as his head became "floppy" and was rushed back to hospital.
He was checked again and kept overnight before he was taken to Sheffield Children’s Hospital where a scan revealed there was fluid on his brain.
Doctors rushed to give him life-saving treatment and fitted him with shunts that help regulate fluid in his brain in the future.
But Mr Birkett said he was left “disgusted” by the way he felt doctors “fobbed” him off the first time.
He added that if it hadn’t been for the other doctors on his second visit, his son may not be alive today.
He said: "River is often ill due to him having a variety of special needs, but after complaining of head pains and a call with the 111 non-emergency line, we took him to hospital.
“After arriving at hospital in Grimsby, a doctor conducted general observations of River and then sent him home suggesting it may be a viral infection and suggested he take painkillers to rectify it.
"River got worse the next day though and his head started going floppy alongside the persisting head pains.
“Again, I rang 111 and they said I needed to go back to the hospital and that they'd already made a referral. However, when I got there I was met by a rather abrupt member of staff who said I'd have to go to the back of the queue.
"She told me I could be waiting for up to two hours, which I thought was disgusting. After a while, River was seen and was eventually sent to the Rainforest ward for a CT scan.
“At about 1am on Monday, July 25, we were blue lighted to Sheffield Children's Hospital for an emergency operation after scans had revealed large amounts of fluid on his brain."
It later transpired that parts of River's brain weren't working correctly and were preventing the fluid from being drained, an illness known as hydrocephalus.
Mr Birkett claimed medical professionals at Sheffield told him that Grimsby “should have picked up” on the fluid.
He added: "My faith in Grimsby A&E is now non-existent following this, they should've caught the issue when I went the first time. "Those who saved River's life and helped to get him to Sheffield were amazing though and I can't thank them enough.”
In response to John's complaints, Peter Reading, chief executive of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have been in contact with Mr Birkett and are thoroughly investigating his concerns.
"We will be back in touch with him on completion of our investigation. Unfortunately, we cannot provide any further details as we have a duty to protect patient confidentiality.”
