Infants and Children
Download (PDF 1.57 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Dudley collected 43 parent and carer stories on what happens when an infant or young child seems unwell.
Parents described difficulties accessing Ps which led them to go straight to hospital. Some parents and carers, visiting hospital, have first contacted the NHS 111 telephone advice line for help and been advised to go to hospital or an ambulance had been called on their behalf. Once at the Paediatric Assessment Unit parents and carers tended to remark that overall there experience of getting help for their unwell infant or young child was good. One recurring message from parents and carers emphasises there are aspects of the healthcare system that are overly complicated and difficult to understand.
Healthwatch Dudley make a number of recommendations at the end of the report and outline plans for future research.