A mother says she’s considering legal action against her GP surgery, after claiming they’ve refused to refer her six-year-old son for a tonsils operation.
Kelly Connor, who lives in Mill Hill, Blackburn, says her son, Devon, has suffered with repeated bouts of tonsillitis since he was about four.
The mum-of-two, who also has a 14-year-old son, says doctors at Bentham Road Health Centre have fobbed her off with antibiotics, despite Devon repeatedly suffering with tonsillitis, resulting in him missing long periods of school.
Ms Connor said: “He suffers regularly with tonsillitis and can barely eat and drink and has had far too much time off school.
“We’ve taken him to the GP because he suffers with it about five times a year, but they won’t refer him to hospital to have his tonsils removed.
“They keep fobbing me off, telling me it’s about funding, but he’s six-years-old, it’s causing him pain.
“I’ve thought about going private, but Beardwood Hospital in Blackburn won’t take under 18s, and everywhere else it would cost me about £3,000 which I just can’t afford.
“He was about three or four when it first started, and sometimes the doctors will provide antibiotics, sometimes they won’t.
“We just need some help. I’m at my wits end. His eyes are sunken in, and he’s constantly coughing at night.
"I’m seriously considering getting some legal advice because it’s not fair on him, he’s just a child.
“I don’t want to take him to A&E because it’s not at that stage yet, but I just want some answers.
“My partner suffered with tonsillitis. and it took him till he was 26 to have his tonsils out and I’m not prepared to put my son through that.”
Ms Connor said she has tried everything but wants an explanation as to why the GP will not refer her son.
A spokesperson from Bentham Road Health Centre said: “We are unable to comment on individual patient cases.
“We’d like to reassure our patient population that our clinicians refer to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical pathway guidance when treating episodes of tonsillitis and considering suitability for onward referral for tonsillectomy.
“We are happy to meet with the patient to discuss this further."
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