[Ammi]

A 23-MONTH-OLD girl died in a GP’s waiting room after she had to wait 70 minutes to get medical attention, her mother has claimed.

Lucie Linforth passed out after her lips turned blue but admin staff allegedly refused to interrupt a doctor so she could be helped.

Dad Eric, 33, had rushed his daughter to the practice after she had feverish coughs during the night.

Her mother Angie Collins has claimed he repeatedly pleaded with receptionists to get a doctor to examine Lucie but he was told to wait his turn.

She sais that the father eventually threatened to ring an ambulance and a doctor finally emerged but Lucie’s heart stopped beating and she died shortly afterwards.

Devastated my Angie, 40, has said she wants justice for her tragic girl.

She said: “This should never happen again to any other family. I will never get over this.

“I want to get Lucie’s story out there and try to stop it happening again.

“She was so full of life and I feel really angry that there was an hour and ten minutes where nothing was done

“I feel they took away her lifeline. All I can do now is carry on fighting, I need justice for my little girl.

“I will keep saying this, she was a healthy, vibrant, lively character full of fight, and her life was just chucked away that morning.”

Eric told how he arrived at a surgery in Bedfordshire at 8.45am — before it had even opened and pleaded with reception staff to get his daughter medical attention.

But he claims he was repeatedly told to wait despite begging for a doctor to see his little girl as she struggled to breathe.

He said the receptionist didn’t even look at the sick child in his arms as he was told to stay in the queue.

By the time Lucie was taken into the “minor illness examination room” at 10.10am, her heart had stopped beating.

Doctors spent 45 minutes trying to resuscitate her and she was rushed to Bedford Hospital where an emergency team kept working in vain to save her life.

An inquest into the death was opened and adjourned on Friday, but the results of a post-mortem have so far proven inconclusive. The couple claim the wasted time could have saved their daughter’s life.

Police are investigating the events surrounding the death and are preparing a report for the coroner.

Doctor Fiona Sim, medical director for NHS Bedfordshire and Luton, said: “This is a tragic death of a little girl and our thoughts and condolences are with the family.

“The family must be going through terrible turmoil at this devastating time.”

[Marc]

Jesus

[Scarlett.]

Seems like something A&E should be dealing with tbf

[Vicky.]

Sad, but why didnt the parents take her to A+E if it was that serious

She sais that the father eventually threatened to ring an ambulance

Why waste time, why not do this in the first place when it because clear that for whatever reason the docs wouldnt see her?

Doctors surgeries are not to be use in emergencies. I thought everyone knew this.

[Ammi]

..well tbf she just had a feverish cough through the night...I don't think I would have taken either of my boys to A&E either for that....the rest happened during her wait at the surgery, which couldn't have been predicted but the reception staff didn't heed dad's pleas

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..well tbf she just had a feverish cough through the night...I don't think I would have taken either of my boys to A&E either for that....the rest happened during her wait at the surgery, which couldn't have been predicted but the reception staff didn't heed dad's pleas

Lucie Linforth passed out after her lips turned blue but admin staff allegedly refused to interrupt a doctor so she could be helped.

--

Surely as soon as this happened, a responsible parent would have phoned 999 immediately...not stood arguing with the receptionist :S

[GiRTh]

Terrible story. The name Lucie Linforth sounds like a Harry Potter character.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Sad, but why didnt the parents take her to A+E if it was that serious



Why waste time, why not do this in the first place when it because clear that for whatever reason the docs wouldnt see her?

Doctors surgeries are not to be use in emergencies. I thought everyone knew this.

wouldnt she have phoned to book the appointment? in which case wouldnt she have described the symptoms over the phone? if she did whydidnt the receptionist either put her through to speak to the doctor or tell her to go to a and e?

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Lucie Linforth passed out after her lips turned blue but admin staff allegedly refused to interrupt a doctor so she could be helped.

--

Surely as soon as this happened, a responsible parent would have phoned 999 immediately...not stood arguing with the receptionist :S

...I see your point Vicky..but I do think that if you're in a medical environment and a child or anyone's condition suddenly deteriorates quickly, you would expect trained medical staff to intervene as it's quite easy for a parent to panic in situations..whereas the doctor would know exactly what to do...had the reception informed him.....

...also it could have been too late when the amulance arrived...which obviously it was anyway...

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by the truth

wouldnt she have phoned to book the appointment? in which case wouldnt she have described the symptoms over the phone? if she did whydidnt the receptionist either put her through to speak to the doctor or tell her to go to a and e?

Depends, some people just turn up at the docs and expect to be seen without an appointment.

Originally Posted by Ammi

...I see your point Vicky..but I do think that if you're in a medical environment and a child or anyone's condition suddenly deteriorates quickly, you would expect trained medical staff to intervene as it's quite easy for a parent to panic in situations..whereas the doctor would know exactly what to do...had the reception informed him.....

...also it could have been too late when the amulance arrived...which obviously it was anyway...

Of course, however when it became clear that the receptionist (who sounds like an utter cow btw, bit like the one in our surgery) was not willing to let them see a doctor, I would imagine most parents next option would be to phone 999...especially if their childs lips were blue. Its not clear if it would have been too late for an ambulance, as the story says that after speaking to the receptionist, the father 'eventually' threatened to ring an ambulance. This could mean he was arguing with her for 2 mins or half an hour, or more.



This receptionist should be sacked. In short. But the parents should also have rang an ambulance. Anyway, besides all of this, the story is so sad. RIP little one

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Depends, some people just turn up at the docs and expect to be seen without an appointment.



Of course, however when it became clear that the receptionist (who sounds like an utter cow btw, bit like the one in our surgery) was not willing to let them see a doctor, I would imagine most parents next option would be to phone 999...especially if their childs lips were blue. Its not clear if it would have been too late for an ambulance, as the story says that after speaking to the receptionist, the father 'eventually' threatened to ring an ambulance. This could mean he was arguing with her for 2 mins or half an hour, or more.



This receptionist should be sacked. In short. But the parents should also have rang an ambulance. Anyway, besides all of this, the story is so sad. RIP little one

...tbh, I would have ignored her and barged into the GPs room but as you say, I don't know how much time elapsed between her lips turning blue and her dying....you would think though that in the 70 minute wait, when she was so poorly, somebody else would have noticed she should have immediate attention...I don't know about these things but after such a long wait..did it all happen so quickly in the end that nobody could help her.....

...I don't know why the wait was so long in the first place...I guess it was because she didn't have an appointment and she was waiting to be fitted in..but I always thought that in any medical situation, children had priority over anyone else...

[Tom4784]

Well if this story happened how it was reported then I hope charges are brought against the people at this medical centre. It's gross negligence.

[Mrluvaluva]

Sounds awful. Once her situation deteriorated so rapidly, the receptionist should have got the doctor immediately. Surely these people are trained in how to handle things like this?

With regards to the parents, we can all have our views what we may, or may not, have done, with hindsight, but not everybody reacts the same in certain situations, as some are strong and instinct kicks in, but some crumble and god knows they became so worried they were not thinking straight and their judgement possibly became clouded. I would imagine they live every day wishing they had done things differently.

[Vanessa]

That's a disgrace! The poor baby was dying and the doctors refused to help.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Mrluvaluva

Sounds awful. Once her situation deteriorated so rapidly, the receptionist should have got the doctor immediately. Surely these people are trained in how to handle things like this?

With regards to the parents, we can all have our views what we may, or may not, have done, with hindsight, but not everybody reacts the same in certain situations, as some are strong and instinct kicks in, but some crumble and god knows they became so worried they were not thinking straight and their judgement possibly became clouded. I would imagine they live every day wishing they had done things differently.

..I don't understand the 70 minute wait in the first place..even without an appointment made, children usually take priority in medical situations

Originally Posted by Vanessa

That's a disgrace! The poor baby was dying and the doctors refused to help.

..the GP wasn't informed Vanessa...the receptionists refused to tell him...when he did finally come it was too late...

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..I don't understand the 70 minute wait in the first place..even without an appointment made, children usually take priority in medical situations



..the GP wasn't informed Vanessa...the receptionists refused to tell him...when he did finally come it was too late...

Then the receptionist is responsible. The child could have been saved.

[Tom4784]

A lot of receptionists tend to be Mini-Hitlers, they just go mad with a little power.

[Ammi]

..that's what many of them are like Dezzy..it'll be interesting to get more facts about this story because my first thoughts are that they kept him waiting because he hadn't made an appointment and they put him down as just a fussy parent, who they kept waiting...and then it all went wrong

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

A lot of receptionists tend to be Mini-Hitlers, they just go mad with a little power.

Yes, one of the receptionists at my local doctors is absolutely awful. Doesnt matter when you ring she says theres no appointments for a fortnight. I had a quite serious need to see a doc a few months ago (not serious enough for hospital) and she said I would have to wait over 2 weeks to see someone. I went to the docs anyway, as the doctors seem to float around a lot between appointments, so I just nabbed my GP while he was walking around in reception, he told me he had a patient to see but he would fit me in after them, and proceeded to go down the receptionists throat too. That was fun to watch

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..that's what many of them are like Dezzy..it'll be interesting to get more facts about this story because my first thoughts are that they kept him waiting because he hadn't made an appointment and they put him down as just a fussy parent, who they kept waiting...and then it all went wrong

But surely the receptionist should have notice the child was in a bad way? Her lips turned blue at some point!

[arista]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

A lot of receptionists tend to be Mini-Hitlers, they just go mad with a little power.

Yes they want to keep their jobs

[AnnieK]

How awful......I think I would have just barged into the docs office anyway but you really don't know how you will react in these situations. I was in a restaurant with my 23 month old recently and he started to choke, I am trained in paediatric first aid but just froze in mad panic...luckily my partner was with me and managed to clear his throat but I was useless.. The father probably did the same, the receptionist should be held accountable..a child's welfare is surely worth the risk of getting a bollocking for disturbing the doctor if it turned out not to be serious?? RIP little one

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

A lot of receptionists tend to be Mini-Hitlers, they just go mad with a little power.

100% true. this has been going on for decades. frankly it wont improve until legal action is broght against a receptionist and the practice. The doctors hide behind awful untrained unprofessional receptionists, who simply stone wall sick people all day every day.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by anniek76

How awful......I think I would have just barged into the docs office anyway but you really don't know how you will react in these situations. I was in a restaurant with my 23 month old recently and he started to choke, I am trained in paediatric first aid but just froze in mad panic...luckily my partner was with me and managed to clear his throat but I was useless.. The father probably did the same, the receptionist should be held accountable..a child's welfare is surely worth the risk of getting a bollocking for disturbing the doctor if it turned out not to be serious?? RIP little one

...yeah, something similar happened to someone I know..she had all the training but just panicked because it was her own child...

..whether the dad's decision to take her to the GPs instead of A&E was the right one or not, it doesn't change the fact that there were trained medical staff on the premises at the time the child was in crisis and nobody sought them out until it was too late...

[Nedusa]

Does anyone yet know the cause of death ??