St Leonards OAP ends up in hospital with serious chest infection after GP surgery ‘failed to call him back’

A pensioner said he ended up being admitted to hospital with a serious chest infection after his surgery failed to call him back when he complained of feeling unwell.
Alastair Watson pictured at his home in West Hill Road, St Leonards. SUS-211111-142739001Alastair Watson pictured at his home in West Hill Road, St Leonards. SUS-211111-142739001
Alastair Watson pictured at his home in West Hill Road, St Leonards. SUS-211111-142739001

Alastair Watson, 82, of West Hill Road, St Leonards, rang High Glades Medical Centre, based at St Leonards Centre in Bexhill Road, on the morning of Friday, November 5, asking to speak to a doctor.

He said he was told a GP would ring him back later and added that no one subsequently called back.

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Mr Watson, a retired registered nurse, said: “I was trying to contact the GP and said I was feeling really unwell and coughing up phlegm. I was then told the doctor would call me back but no one did.

“The following morning I was feeling so ill and went to the Conquest.

Doctors there were quite concerned and did several blood tests and decided I would have to be admitted. I was in hospital for several days.”

Mr Watson added that he had a very high temperature of 39.4.

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He said: “If the doctor at the surgery had contacted me in the first place, all of this could have been avoided.

“One day we will have a terrible accident and someone will die.

“I was in the Conquest with an acute chest infection. I couldn’t breathe properly and my temperature was so high. I have had serious heart problems before.

“I just think I’m so lucky as the care at the Conquest was fantastic.”

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A spokesperson for NHS East Sussex CCG said: “We cannot comment on individual cases because of patient confidentiality.

“We would encourage the patient to follow the usual procedures for complaints for their practice.”

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