The father of a Shropshire teenager who died after her tonsillitis was misdiagnosed as swine flu says over-the-phone diagnosis must stop before any more lives are lost.
Charlotte Hartey, 16, from Quinta, near Oswestry, died last Friday at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
Her father, Karl, today said tests showed that Charlotte did not have swine flu. She died from bronchial pneumonia due to abscesses that formed from her original tonsillitis, he said.
“She had tonsillitis that was not treated in time - people do not die from tonsillitis,” he said.
The Oswestry School pupil fell ill on July 22 and her parents rang their GP.
“We were told it was swine flu and to go to Shrewsbury to get Tamiflu,” said Mr Hartey.
“By Friday her condition was worse and a doctor did come out and look her over and said it was swine flu.
“On Monday a doctor came out again and suggested it might be glandular fever.”
On the Wednesday, a week later, Charlotte was taken to hospital where she was eventually diagnosed with tonsillitis and treatment began.
“On Thursday evening things were really positive. We never dreamt she would not be alive at breakfast time on Friday,” Mr Hartey said.
“How on earth can we have over-the-phone diagnosis whether by a surgery or a call centre? If someone is ill they should be seen by a doctor. Call centres are for selling insurance not for medical diagnosis.
“One death is one too many but if, as predicted, swine flu becomes a major event many more people could die.
“We and the government have to sit up and take notice, and allow old fashioned methods of diagnosis. It is not the GPs’ fault it is the system.”
Mr Hartey said tests were continuing to find out why Charlotte deteriorated so quickly.
Mr Hartey said he did not blame individuals. “The GPs are following policy and staff at the hospital did everything they could,” he said.
Shropshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) said it did not wish to comment further.
But on Friday the PCT’s chief executive Jo Chambers said: “The PCT is currently reviewing the care given in this case, working with the hospital and GP practice.