An Inveraray man has criticised the lack of GP cover after tell how he was turned away from a surgery with serious burns to his face and hands after a petrol can exploded near him at work.
Antony Conn, 21, was burning trees after carrying out landscaping at his work when the petrol can blew up, badly injuring him.
Mr Conn said that when he went to Inveraray Surgery for help but was told there was nothing they could do as there was no doctor on duty.
He turned to The George Hotel for assistance, where staff washed his face and applied burn gel while waiting for paramedics from Lochgilphead to arrive. He was then airlifted to hospital in Glasgow.
Medics at Glasgow Royal Infirmary told him it was the treatment he received at The George which prevented his injuries from being much worse and helped avoid serious damage to his eye.
Antony said: “To be honest my face is pretty much healed, but my hands are still scarred.
“I was at work lighting a fire quite safely. It is something I have done lots of times before and never had any problems. I put a bit of petrol on it not noticing the flame was still lit, and the petrol can exploded.”
The accident took place at around 2pm on Monday.
Mr Conn told how he plunged his head into a puddle to try in a panic to try and cool the burn.
He: “I dumped my head in a puddle to cool the area immediately and then got in my car and drove to the doctors surgery, where I tried to get in. Staff they said there was nothing they could do as there was no GP present and I was told to go to A&E, but the nearest one is in Lochgilphead, which is 24 miles away.
“I phoned my fiancée Freya Rodden, who works as a housekeeper at the George Hotel. I went into their kitchen and they cleaned my face with water and applied burns gel, then we sat and waited for the paramedics to come.
“I was airlifted because there was a risk my airways would become damaged from the burns. At the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, they said that the action eveyone at The George had taken saved things from being much worse.
“I am very thankful to them for taking me in when the surgery couldn’t sit me down and at least wash my face while I was waiting for the ambulance to come.”
He was kept in the Glasgow hospital for 24 hours but says it is wrong that there were no doctors available in Inveraray.
Antony added: “I just don’t think it’s right. Inveraray is a tourist town and if somebody comes here and for some reason they need urgent medical attention, they wouldn’t know to go to The George for help like I did.
“I think it’s a disgrace that you can’t get help in such a busy rural place when the closest A&E is Lochgilphead.
“Not all people can travel that far. Trying to get a doctor appointment in Inveraray is so difficult. For example, my mother is disabled, she can’t get to Lochgilphead.”
Lochgilphead Medical Practice gave notice to quit its contract for GP services in Furnace and Inveraray earlier this year, citing staffing difficulties as a major issue.
Last week The Advertiser reported that the Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership is confident it will have a new contract in place by August 1.
Antony, who works as a groundsman, hopes to be back at work by the start of next week.
He said: “My hands are fairly red. My left one has got a bit of scarring on the top of it and the rest of the skin is pretty burned looking.”
His face is healing well but he believes he could be left with a bit of pigmentation.
He added: “If I didn’t dump my head in the puddle and get to The George, the burn could have done a lot of damage to my eye. I was very lucky.
“My fiancée contacted the health board and we have a meeting comingup with the director of the Lochgilphead surgery to discuss that happened.
“I just hope that by speaking about this I can make a difference somewhere and make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else."
Donna Gibson, practice manager at Lochgilphead Medical Centre, said: “Due to patient confidentiality, we are unable to comment on this particular incident."
She added: “Inveraray Surgery remains committed to delivering high-quality care for all our patients. Our receptionists are highly trained to refer patients to the nearest emergency medical service.
"This can include signposting them to the nearest accident and emergency department or instructing them to call 999 in case of a medical emergency where someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.”
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.