A HEALTH watchdog and an MP have waded into the growing row over claims that a GP turned away a young mother with a sick child because she had already been to an NHS walk-in centre.

Michelle Thompson, chief executive of the health watchdog Healthwatch Darlington said the mother and daughter had received “appalling treatment” and had been let down by the system.

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman said refusing to see a patient because they had been to a walk-in centre was “unacceptable” and called for an investigation by health chiefs.

Nursery nurse Gemma Nattrass, 24, was left shocked and upset after a GP at her local surgery refused to see her two-year-old daughter Kacie.

She decided to take the little girl to the doctor’s because she was not happy with the diagnosis of a viral infection given by nurses at the Dr Piper House NHS walk-in centre in Darlington earlier in the day.

Rejected by the GP - who was the only one available at the Moorlands Surgery in Willow Road, Darlington – she was forced to take Kacie to the Accident and Emergency Department at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Within 20 minutes of arrival she was seen by a doctor who diagnosed that Kacie – who had been suffering from sickness, diarrhoea and a rash - had scarlet fever and needed a 10 day course of penicillin.

After sending a letter of complaint to her former surgery she has now switched doctors.

Last November the Care Quality Commission identified the Moorlands Surgery in Darlington as one of five practices in the region said to be at risk of offering patients poor care.

Mrs Thompson, from Healthwatch Darlington, said: “She did all the right things by accessing the correct services at the correct time but was let down badly by not only the system but individuals too.”

"Despite the NHS asking people not to visit A&E unless it is a genuine emergency it seems Miss Nattrass had no choice but to visit A&E to ensure her little girl was given the treatment she needed.”

She said Healthwatch Darlington would be raising the case with NHS Darlington Clinical Commissioning Group.

Mrs Chapman said: “This must have been an horrendous experience for Gemma and her little girl. Parents often know when something’s wrong and should be listened to. Well done Gemma for refusing to be fobbed off.”

The Labour MP said she would be seeking a report on the incident from the CCG.

“It is pointless advising patients not to attend A&E because hospital services are under pressure and then failing to provide adequate care. Parents across Darlington will find this disturbing,” she added.

Councillor Wendy Newall, chairman of Darlington Borough Council’s Health and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee, said: “This lady seems to have been through a distressing experience. I’m sure the practice will be looking into the situation and addressing accordingly”

Coun Newall urged all parents who have children who are unwell to contact their GP during surgery hours – as a first step – and if a child is unwell outside normal working hours to call the 111 NHS urgent care line.

This view was echoed by Martin Phillips, chief executive of Darlington CCG, who stressed that the relationship between doctors and patients was “critical” in securing the best care and that the GP should be the first point of contact for most urgent medical needs in normal working hours, rather than the walk-in centre or A&E.

A spokeswoman for the Moorlands Surgery said the practice had no comment to make.

Mrs Thompson urged residents to attend public meetings organised by Healthwatch Darlington and Darlington CCG to discuss A&E services in the town which are being held in Central Hall Darlington at 5.30pm on Wednesday February 5 and 9.30am on Wednesday February 11.

*On the day that the Health Select Committee report ‘Complaints and Raising Concerns’ was published Easington MP Grahame Morris, and Health Select Committee member, called for a cultural shift in the way NHS organisations handle complaints.

“We should encourage a cultural change within the NHS where complaints are seen as a mechanism by which to improve NHS services rather than an indicator of failure,” said Mr Morris.