Beware of Pharmacist

April 17, 2013 permalink

A baby girl had a coughing fit in a drug store and mother Kiya Pask comforted her until she was better. The result? A pharmacist reported her to British child protectors and the mother became the target of an investigation.

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Boots pharmacist reported mum to social services after baby had coughing fit

By Kelly Rose Bradford , Apr 16, 2013

A young mum was outraged that a pharmacist in a branch of Boots contacted social services after her 15-month-old daughter had a coughing fit in the store.

Kiya Pask, 20, had visited Boots in Skegness to pick up antihistamines for her daughter Amelia, who is registered disabled with a chronic bronchial illness.

When the little girl had a coughing fit, Kiya told counter staff that she often struggled to take medicine, and that she had recently been treated in hospital for her condition.

Despite her explanation, Kiya claims the pharmacist started shouting 'she's choking' and 'someone get her some oxygen'.

"I took her out of the pram and said to the woman, 'look she was in hospital yesterday with bronchitis, all she's done is swallowed the medicine the wrong way'," Kiya told reporters.

"Amelia started breathing normally and I put her back in her pram and took her home and didn't think any more about it."

The mum – who is registered as Amelia's full time carer due to her ongoing health issues - was shocked when social workers turned up unannounced at her Lincolnshire home to quiz her on the care she provided for Amelia.

The team from Lincolnshire Social Services told her that a report had been made about the incident in Boots, and that it had been claimed she had left Amelia on her back and that she had turned blue.

The officials searched Kiya's cupboards, checked her fridge and freezer and watched her interact with her daughter for around an hour, before leaving and later writing to say she was no longer under investigation.

"It made me feel like what if something is wrong when I don't realise or what if she doesn't think my daughter has got enough clothing or if she feels the food I provide isn't good enough," Kiya told the Mail.

"I felt like I was being interrogated. I feel like a good mum and do a good job looking after my daughter."

Kiya says she feels the pharmacist breached patient confidentiality to get hold of her details.

"What concerns me is I went in for over the counter medication but I am always in there for prescriptions. I also make use of the parenting club. Obviously she accessed the medical database."

Boots have defended the pharmacist saying she acted in the best interest of the child. Their spokesman said pharmacists are required to apply their professional knowledge and judgement and take appropriate action if they have any concern about patients' health and safety.

"In this instance our pharmacist expressed her concerns to Lincolnshire's Safeguarding Children Board by telephone," he said. "It would then be at the discretion of the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Board and Social Services as to what information is shared between the bodies, and we would not be privy to these details. We take patient confidentiality seriously and, having conducted a thorough investigation, are confident our pharmacist acted properly and professionally throughout."

He confirmed that Boots were 'in dialogue' with Kiya to 'resolve any outstanding concerns' and that the company had written to her.

What do you think? Is it right to report concerns, even if it turns out you were over reacting?

Source: Parent Dish