A MILKWALL man is claiming his four-year-old daughter was badly let down by Coleford Health Centre after he took her into the surgery with a throat infection.

Mr Mike Evans says Kayleigh, who has Downs Syndrome and a heart condition and will be five years-old in October, was given some oral medicine called but after taking her home she took a turn for the worse.

"She took the medicine but immediately went downhill very fast – it was very worrying," said Mr Evans.

He said they gave the Dioralyte – which is normally prescribed for dehydration – a chance to work, but by Thursday he was so worried about Kayleigh's condition that he went to the local pharmacist.

The chemist was alarmed about the choice of medicine which he was sure should have been treated with antibiotics and anti-virals. Mr Evans then tried to get Kayleigh an appointment back at the surgery but was told instead to stay at home and a doctor would call.

By now the surgery had closed and his daughter's condition was so bad he phoned Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for advice and was told to bring the child in: something they could not do because by the time they were likely to go home there would be no buses running.

Explaining this to the hospital, he was told they would talk to Coleford Heath Centre urgently in the morning and get appropriate medicine sent round.

"We got the medicine and it has been working well, but the Health Centre is claiming they tried to phone us all Thursday evening and the prescription had been waiting at the Health Centre all the time," said Mr Evans.

"We have no missed calls on our phones. It's not the first time we have had trouble with the Health Centre – we have decided to change to another clinic, " he said. "It's all right now – but what a worry!"

A Coleford Health Centre spokesman said the doctor concerned was unable to comment because of patient confidentiality. However, if people had complaints they should contact the surgery where their concerns would be dealt with through the normal channels.