A young mum from Following a reported increase in pressures on emergency services in Wales , Cardiff has been identified as one of four ‘pressure point’ areas across south Wales
Mum of one Danni Parry is supporting NHS Wales’s Choose Well campaign to help highlight the range of services available to parents if their children suffer from an injury or illness to ensure they get fast, effective treatment.
Danni, a nursery worker, lives in Danescourt with her husband James and is mum to 23 month-old Kaiden. From working with children and looking after a busy toddler she understands first-hand the bumps and ailments that can crop up every day.
“As a mum, sometimes you do overreact when your children are ill or injured,” explains Danni. “It’s natural, especially with younger children as they’re so small. When you first have a baby you have support from the hospital and the health visitor, but after a certain point you’re left to your own devices and it can be daunting.
“I’m lucky that through my job I’m used to working with children so in most instances I know how to deal with things like temperatures, colds and cuts and bruises. That doesn’t stop me from panicking occasionally though!
“I have used NHS Direct Wales a few times for both myself and Kaiden and they’ve always been really helpful and they’re so friendly. It’s like calling my mum, but with expert medical advice! When I was pregnant I suffered with morning sickness, but one day it suddenly became much worse and lasted for a couple of days. I realised it might be a bug instead and because I was pregnant I was more concerned. I didn’t want to go in to see my GP because I was feeling so unwell, so I rang NHS Direct Wales and talked to them instead. They advised me on what I could do to help my symptoms and who to contact if I felt worse.
“I use my GP and pharmacist regularly but I think I’m quite aware of when I really need to go and when it’s something that I can care for myself. Kaiden suffers from eczema and after seeing a consultant at the hospital, rather than having to go to my GP I was given a repeat prescription that I can pick up from my local pharmacy. It’s easier and much more convenient.”
However, when Kaiden decided on an unusual snack one day, Danni’s first instinct was to go to the Emergency Department.
“I was in the house with Kaiden when the phone rang. I went to answer it and must have had my back turned to him for a minute or two. After hanging up, I went to pick him up and noticed that he smelled strongly of flowers. I looked around to see what could have caused it and realised that there was an empty air freshener case in among his toys that I could see he’d been chewing on.
“I did panic as I knew they could be toxic and went straight to the Emergency Department. They were really helpful, talked through what had happened and of course, Kaiden was fine. After I’d calmed down I realised that I should have called NHS Direct Wales in the first instance instead as it wasn’t really an emergency and they could have advised me on what to do.”
Danni is keen to promote the Choose Well campaign to other parents and urge them to think before automatically reaching to dial 999.
“When it comes to your children, sometimes the tiniest thing can feel like an emergency but it’s always better that you stop and think first. People don’t realise that by ringing for an ambulance to come out for something that’s actually minor, they could be taking it away from someone who really needs it. You could be taking someone’s life away.
“Choose Well is great for parents as it gives you a quick, easy guide to check what NHS service you should call and the thermometer is clear and easy to understand. Being a parent is a big learning experience and so it’s great to have that information to hand when you need it. And always remember that you can call NHS Direct with any concerns. A simple call to them is sometimes all you need to put your mind at rest.”
