A YOUNG Greenock girl suffering from a chronic illness was sent to a Glasgow hospital by her GP — and turned away because there was no bed for her.

The 12-year-old had gone with her mum to their GP at the Orangefield surgery to get checked because she wasn’t feeling well.

Her doctor was so concerned about her blood levels that he immediately contacted the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, who agreed he should send her straight up there.

The youngster has Crohn’s and colitis, the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Her mum, who does not wish to be named, said: “There was no ambulance for us, so it took us 90 minutes to get to the hospital’s accident and emergency department by train to Cardonald and then taxi.

“We waited for a couple of hours before being seen, and were told my daughter needed an iron transfusion.

“We were seen by the consultant who had diagnosed my daughter with Crohn’s and colitis in November. She apologised that no bed was available in accident and emergency for the one-hour transfusion.

“The journey up there and the wait to be seen was very stressful for us, especially since my daughter felt ill, so we were upset that she couldn’t even be treated. It was a wasted journey.

“We had to go back up the following day, this time by bus, and she received her transfusion, but I think it’s ridiculous that this couldn’t be done at Inverclyde Royal.

“I had been told previously by a nurse at IRH that such transfusions could be done there, and yet we had to go to Glasgow twice. It meant my daughter was off school for two days, and there was also the cost of travel.

“I’ve been told I can’t re-claim the £17 cost of the first journey because we were going to accident and emergency, but I can re-claim the £10 for the bus the following day because we were going to a ward.

“No ambulance was provided on either day, despite my daughter being unwell.”

Health campaigner, Councillor Ciano Rebecchi, says he is very annoyed about the case.

He said: “This highlights why such children’s services are needed at IRH.

“This family were put through a lot of needless stress, inconvenience and expense because of the centralisation of services in Glasgow.

“It’s just not right that an area the size of Inverclyde can’t cater for an ill youngster. This demonstrates why we can’t afford to lose any more services from IRH.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) today apologised as they confirmed that the girl was sent to the Royal Hospital for Children because her GP was concerned about her health.

She said: “The patient was asked to return the following day in agreement with her mum, as the procedure required was already planned for the following day and it was not an emergency. 

“Inverclyde Royal Hospital does not provide this procedure to children, and we apologise for any misunderstanding.”

The spokeswoman added: “All health boards, including NHS GGC, follow national guidance on the payment of travel expenses for patients and families.”