Parents have spoken of a traumatic night at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley after their one-year-old daughter was left unwell in the accident and emergency waiting area for several hours in mid-August.
Family recounts delayed help and distressing symptoms
The family, who live in Glasgow but attended the Paisley hospital on the advice of NHS 24 on Saturday, 15 August, say their daughter began wheezing at home and that staff at the hospital did not initially respond to pleas for urgent help when her condition deteriorated.
After a period in the waiting room the toddler’s breathing rate increased, her temperature rose and she started to shake, the father — who asked to remain anonymous — told Glasgow Live. He said staff initially told them to sit and wait despite the baby appearing to be in worsening distress.
"She was breathing more rapidly, her temperature had spiked and she was shaking. She appeared out of it. It was very scary to see her like that, as first-time parents."
The father described a moment when the child began vomiting and the family attempted to summon help by buzzing to get the attention of nurses. He said that when a nurse came to the entrance they were told to return to the waiting area and wait for further assessment, leaving the mother in tears.
Outcome and diagnosis
The family remained at the hospital through the night and, according to their account, a doctor assessed the child and diagnosed a viral illness at about 3am on Sunday, 16 August. They were kept in until that time before being discharged.
Despite the diagnosis, the parents say the experience left them feeling "let down" by the care they received and frustrated by what they described as a lack of reassurance and urgency from staff while their daughter was clearly unwell.
Local implications and questions for services
The incident raises questions about triage and escalation procedures in the A&E waiting area at a major Paisley hospital. The Royal Alexandra is a key emergency facility for Renfrewshire and surrounding communities; prolonged waits for acutely unwell children can provoke alarm among parents and prompt scrutiny of local service provision.
Key facts from the family’s account:
- Initial advice to attend A&E was given by NHS 24 on 15 August.
- The child, aged one, displayed increasing respiratory rate, fever and shaking before vomiting.
- They were seen by a doctor and diagnosed with a viral illness at around 3am on 16 August.
- The father asked to remain anonymous and spoke to Glasgow Live about the episode.
What officials and the NHS can be asked
Health boards and hospital managers typically respond to concerns about emergency care by reviewing triage logs, staff allocations and the circumstances of individual cases. For local people, answers commonly sought include:
| Question | Relevant detail |
|---|---|
| When was the patient first assessed? | Family say they were initially seen by a nurse then told to wait for a doctor. |
| Was escalation triggered when symptoms worsened? | Parents say they buzzed for help as vomiting and shaking began. |
| Final diagnosis | Doctor assessed and diagnosed a viral illness at about 3am. |
Responses from NHS boards usually clarify whether correct triage protocols were followed and whether any lessons can be learned. For the families involved, the experience can leave a lasting loss of confidence in local emergency services.
For residents of Paisley and Renfrewshire, the account will add to continuing public interest in how paediatric cases are managed in busy A&E settings and how staff are supported to respond to escalating symptoms in children.
WE NEWS has contacted the relevant health board for comment and to ask what steps are in place to ensure that acutely unwell children in waiting areas are prioritised and reassessed promptly. Any response will be published in full when received.
