The daughter of a late 91-year-old woman has complained to her mother’s GP surgery as no doctors visited her when she became seriously ill towards the end of her life. 

Doris Phillips, from Great Paxton, says four calls were made to her mother’s surgery over four separate days and she was prescribed the wrong kind of medication for her situation. 

She goes as far as saying that her mother’s condition “was not taken seriously” by Lakeside Healthcare at St Neots which assessed her mainly over the phone. 

In an emotional interview, she said: “I'm sharing Mum’s story because I feel the medical care she received from her GP was completely inadequate. 

“I’m angry because I feel if she was properly examined the very first time the doctor was called, she may have received the right treatment.  

“I feel her condition was not taken seriously because she was elderly and in a care home. 

“It doesn’t matter who you are, young or old, care home residents still need a doctor to physically visit them.  

“They need to be properly examined in-person.” 

She added: “We will never know if Mum would still be with us if she’d had better treatment, but it feels like our health service has been crumbling since Covid.  

“And this is an issue that needs highlighting.” 

The Hunts Post: Lakeside Healthcare has branches in the St Neots area, including this one in Eaton Socon.Lakeside Healthcare has branches in the St Neots area, including this one in Eaton Socon. (Image: Google Street View)Jean Wayman, a great grandmother, was struggling to breathe and had been unable to eat or drink because her mouth and tongue had become severely swollen and ulcerated. 

Pictures of her condition are so distressing that The Hunts Post has decided not to publish them.  

Mrs Wayman also had dementia.  

Her carers at Nelson Lodge Care Home, in Eaton Socon, initially dialled 999 because they were concerned.  

The East of England Ambulance Service says a clinician advised them to contact the Joint Emergency Team or Mrs Wayman’s GP and to call back if there were any changes. 

Notes from the care home then show Lakeside Healthcare at St Neots were contacted four times over four days and her appointments with her GP were over the phone.  

A district nurse on a separate visit to another resident in the home was asked to look at Mrs Wayman’s mouth and she sent photographs to her surgery.  

Mrs Wayman was then seen by a practitioner nurse and prescribed antibiotics in tablet form – which, because of her condition, she was unable to swallow.  

Four days later – and a week after the initial 999 call - she was given liquid antibiotics.  

But two days after that Mrs Wayman was coughing up blood and an ambulance took her to Hinchingbrooke Hospital, in Huntingdon.  

The stressful ordeal happened leading up to Christmas 2023 and Mrs Wayman passed away in hospital on December 28.  

Mrs Phillips has only just found the strength to share her story. 

The Hunts Post: Stock image of an elderly person.Stock image of an elderly person. (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/PA Images)She said: “I feel so awful about what happened because Mum must’ve been in so much pain and she didn’t get the care she deserved. 

“I’ve looked at Mum’s notes from the care home and I can see the staff did everything in their power to help.  

“I also understand why the ambulance service did not come out initially – because they must prioritise emergencies and much more serious health conditions.  

“But people, especially our elderly, deserve better treatment than this from our GPs. Things have got to change...” 

A spokesperson for Lakeside St Neots acknowledged it had received a complaint from Mrs Wayman’s family and the surgery is “looking into their concerns”.  

He said: “While it would be inappropriate to comment further we would like to extend our condolences to the family and will be happy to meet with them to discuss our response to their letter.” 

Mrs Phillips says she is waiting for a response.  

Anchor, the company that runs Nelson Lodge Care Home, declined to comment.