Angus Robertson: A health scare for baby Saoirse sees Sick Kids Hospital at its best
We thanked our lucky stars for an NHS free at the point of need, writes Angus Robertson.
Every parents worst nightmare is a health or injury scare with their children. It is now nearly six months since my wife Jen and I were joined by baby Saoirse, who has been a model of good health and avoiding bumps and scrapes. Until last weekend that is.
A fall in the kitchen caused her (and her parents) a huge shock, and a fear that there might be an underlying injury.
To be safe, we took the usually bubbly Saoirse to Accident and Emergency at the Sick Kids Hospital. A&E triage had a fair number of new parents with worries about their small babies, a dad held his young boy aloft with a clearly painful arm injury and a rugby coach sat with with a muddied teenage player who had taken a knock on the field.
Together with other worried parents, we didn’t have to wait long for an assessment and then examination by a doctor.
At every stage, the nurses, doctors and other hospital staff were empathetic, helpful and supportive.
After some care, attention and medication, Saoirse was back to her normal self. We thanked our lucky stars that things weren’t more serious and that we live in a country where our NHS is free at the point of need.
While we follow the public debate about the delayed new Sick Kids Hospital, which will open by the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, it’s worth bearing in mind that in the meantime children will continue to receive excellent care at the current location by The Meadows. Many thanks.