A dad has had to go to A&E every other day for a dressing to be changed because his GP surgery can’t see him.

At the end of October, Matthew Childs, a plasterer from Wolfe Road in Maidstone was constructing a pond in his garden when he slipped and fell on a piece of rusty metal.

A spike went into the underside of his left arm, penetrating 4cm and only stopping when it hit bone.

Mr Childs’ brother, Ben, took him to Maidstone Hospital’s A&E where he was patched up, but told he would need to have the wound cleaned and the dressing changed every other day, otherwise there was a danger the wound would become infected and he would get sepsis - a potentially fatal condition.

He said: “I was discharged with antibiotics and painkillers with strict instructions that I must go to my GP every other day to have the wound re-dressed and packed. They made it very clear. If I did not get my wound checked and it did get infected, it could lead to sepsis.”

Mr Childs was due to go on a short break to the Forest of Dean the next day. He contacted the local GP surgery close to where he would be staying, and - no problem - they booked him in for two visits during his stay, so that the bandage could be changed.

But when he returned to Maidstone and contacted his own GP surgery - the College Practice - to arrange further care, that was when his problems began.

The College Practice could not accommodate him.

He said: “I was very disappointed to be told there were no appointments for a month.”

He explained that the dressing had to be changed every other day, but was told he would have to go to A&E to have it done.

And that is what he has been doing, every other day since.

He said: “The care I have received at the hospital has been amazing, fantastic.

“But every time I go, they ask, why are you coming here? Your GP should be doing this!

“The first time the hospital doctor asked why I had returned to them rather than my local GP, I explained that I had tried a number of times to get an appointment and he said he understood my frustration.

“He said he would email the surgery to explain and let them know the seriousness of the situation, due to the high risk factor of infection.

“The day after, I called the College Practice again, hoping for a different outcome.

“Sadly I met with the same answer - no appointments.”

“I explained to the receptionist that I have an 18-month-old child and I am self-employed and it was difficult to wait in A&E for three and a half hours every other day for potentially months.

“But,” he said: “My plea fell on deaf ears.”

“I asked for someone in a more senior role to call me so I could explain in more detail, but I was told that they don't do direct calls for complaints and I would need to go on a call back list which was a month away.”

As a non-urgent case, Mr Childs has had to take his turn in the hospital waiting room.

He said: “I guess I’ve been at A&E about three and a half hours each time on average - and that’s a huge chunk out of the day, especially when the actual process takes only five to 10 minutes.”

“You can see why A&E waiting times are so long - it’s because it’s clogged up with patients like me who shouldn’t really be there.”

The College Road practice did not respond to two email requests for comment, but after KentOnline was eventually able to reach the surgery by telephone, we were told: “The practice is aware of the story, but we are unable to comment.”

Fortunately, Mr Childs’ arm seems to be recovering well and has so far stayed free from infection.

The College Practice has four surgeries in total: the original in College Road, Maidstone, and satellites at Marigold Way in Barming, at Tichborne Close in Allington, and at Albion Place in Maidstone.