A young Dundee footballer with a “caved-in” head was refused an X-ray by a doctor at Ninewells Hospital.
Apprentice mechanic Lee Smith (17), of Fintry, was eventually operated on three weeks later and had seven metal plates inserted in his fractured skull.
His mother Amanda said she thought a nurse was joking after being told to take Lee home, despite a huge dent in his head after a clash while playing football in April.
She contacted The Courier after reading the story on Saturday of assault victim Craig Beharrie’s similar experience at Ninewells, when he had emergency brain surgery days after being refused an X-ray.
Amanda said: “I couldn’t believe it. The doctor didn’t even look at him but the nurse said he had told her Lee had concussion and was fine to go home.
“I said ‘Look at his forehead’ but she didn’t seem to pay much attention to it. She just said, ‘The doctor says he’s fine, take him home.’
“I said, ‘You’re kidding I think he definitely needs an X-ray. His head is caved in’, but she insisted we had to take him home.
“I was absolutely stunned, I thought ‘Do I make a fuss?’ We reluctantly went away and I watched him all that night.”
Amanda says two weeks later the dent was still there so she took him to their GP, who took one look and got him an urgent appointment at the maxillofacial clinic at Ninewells.
“As soon as the surgeon there saw him he said, ‘That’s a fracture, I need to fix that’ and got him a scan as soon as possible. The bang had crushed the frontal sinus in his skull that’s normally a car-crash injury.
“I can’t believe he didn’t get X-rayed. Lee’s father was furious with the staff as well and we made a complaint to NHS Tayside. They told me they were launching an investigation in May and I’m still waiting to hear back from them, which breaches all their deadlines. They’re supposed to respond within 40 days.”
She added: “Their complaints procedure is an absolute mockery it’s adding insult to injury. I can’t believe that even when there is an investigation ongoing somebody else is refused an X-ray by a doctor at Ninewells.”
A NHS Tayside spokesman said: “We are aware of this family’s concerns and our complaints and advice team are currently looking into these.”