Grandmother's warning after she claims Portsmouth GP missed vital symptoms

Diane Edwards’ daughter Samantha Edwards took her 17-day-old baby Ava to see a GP as she was concerned that Ava was not feeding and was chesty.

But Mrs Edwards has now made a complaint as she claims the GP did not check the baby properly, which she claims resulted in the Ava being admitted to intensive care.

She said: ‘It is now looking positive but it does not change my opinion that the symptoms were missed in the first place.’

Mrs Edwards says the GP stated that Samantha should continue to give her feeds, and ‘see how she goes’.

Mrs Edwards, who has a medical background, was unhappy with this, especially as Ava had been born two weeks prematurely, and told Samantha to take the baby to accident and emergency.

There she had numerous tests and was admitted with bronchiolitis with very low oxygen levels and was struggling to breathe.

Ava was given oxygen and within hours of admission was sedated and intubated.

She was then taken by ambulance to the paediatric intensive care unit at Southampton General Hospital.

After four days in intensive care, Ava was moved to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham but now Mrs Edwards wants to warn others to trust their instincts and to seek a second opinion if they are not happy.

Mrs Edwards, from Fareham, said: ‘What if she had totally trusted the GP and then gone back to the crib and found Ava very poorly?

‘We want to get across to mums that if you are not happy with what the GP says, then get a second opinion.’

A spokesman for NHS England – South (Wessex) confirmed that an investigation was under way after a complaint was made relating to the treatment provided recently at a GP surgery.

NHS England was unable to comment further whilst the investigation process was ongoing, and refused to confirm the name of the GP or the practice.