"The care my child has received has been poor"

About: Outpatients Department / Fracture Clinic University Hospital Wishaw / Emergency Department

(as a parent/guardian),

We recently attended A&E at Wishaw General due to the fact my child had sustained a fall and subsequently stopped using their arm and was very distressed. 

After consultation, examination, x-rays, it was deemed a pulled elbow and we were sent home and told to watch and if any concerns to return. 

At home they were still pained, however this was put down to the fact she had an injury and we carried on. 

13 days later I received a phone call from an emergency dept consultant who informed us that my child had in fact sustained a fractured elbow and they would speak with orthopaedics as my child should have been in a cast on the day of injury. I was told that radiology review x-rays usually within the week and the consultant did not know why it has taken 13 days for the x-ray to be reviewed.

Upon the return phone call, after speaking with orthopaedics we were given a choice of fracture clinic appointments to suit to have my child seen, given the fact they have had an unknown fracture for almost 2 weeks.

The fracture clinic saw them and assessed mobility, palpated joint/location of fracture which caused much distress and pain and we were told it seems to be healing as they are moving the affected arm, make sure they do not jump/fall on the arm if possible and call if any concerns. No further x-rays taken at the time to ensure fracture is healing, despite the fact they should have been in a cast from the day of injury.

I understand due to their young age they do not wish to expose a child to unnecessary radiation via x-ray, however I do not feel that it is acceptable to touch a fractured joint, and state it's healing well, given the fact it has been treated as a pulled elbow for almost two weeks.

There was no forward plan in regards to reviewing the fracture again, x-ray, exam. No explanation as to why this was missed and highlighted almost two weeks later. The repercussions of the arm not being in a cast, what to look for, nothing.

I understand there are pressures within the health service, however I feel that highlighting a fracture 13 days later is negligent. As a family we feel very upset that we have been carrying on as if the arm was pulled, encouraging movement, when in fact it was fractured.

The care my child has received has been poor, and has caused much emotional distress and pain for both them, and the wider family. 

 

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Responses

Response from Faith McCrea, Service Manager, Emergency & Medical Services, University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire last week
Faith McCrea
Service Manager, Emergency & Medical Services, University Hospital Wishaw,
NHS Lanarkshire
Submitted on 06/03/2025 at 16:56
Published on Care Opinion at 17:17


Dear Btx3

Thank you for sharing your recent experience of our Emergency Department here at University Hospital Wishaw. I am sorry to hear of your child's poor experience and would like to apologise for the delay in initial treatment of your child's injury and will ensure this is fedback to the clinical team for their review and appropriate learning.

I fully appreciate that you are concerned about your child's experience and I can assure you that we take all concerns from our patients and relatives very seriously in order to improve our services.

I have no doubt my Orthopaedic colleagues will provide a response to your Orthopaedic Service comments

I hope that your chid's injury is improving

Best wishes

Faith

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Response from Corinne Barrett, Senior Nurse, Trauma and Orthopaedics, NHS Lanarkshire last week
Corinne Barrett
Senior Nurse, Trauma and Orthopaedics,
NHS Lanarkshire
Submitted on 07/03/2025 at 16:02
Published on Care Opinion at 16:25


Dear Btx3,

I am extremely sorry to read of your childs recent experience following delay to a fracture being diagnosed and care following this.

The Orthopaedic team take all concerns seriously and as such we would ask that you contact Patients affairs team on 01698 752800 so the team can review your childs care provide staff with the opportunity to respond to these concerns. This will also enable the team to take forward learning and share with the wider team.

I hope your child is recovering well,

Kind Regards

Corinne

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Btx3 (a parent/guardian)

Thank you both for taking the time to reply. I have been in talks with patient affairs who have been extremely helpful. However further imaging of the missed fracture has been refused. I have heard the rationale as to why however the fact this injury was missed, and treated as a ‘pulled elbow’ for a significant amount of time I would think imaging would provide some reassurance that this injury is healing correctly.

Thanks for your time and I hope this situation can be reflected on to ensure this does not happen again. As it stand we are left questioning what is happening in regards to healing and are extremely anxious of any future issues that may arise.

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