Social workers swooped on the home of a young mum after an overzealous Boots pharmacist reported her as a bad mother – because the tot started COUGHING in store.
Kiya Pask, 20, took 15-month-old Amelia for over-the-counter antihistamines to help control her ongoing bronchial virus.
But when the tot swallowed the medicine in the store she started coughing and Kiya explained to pharmacy staff her daughter often struggled to take medication because of her condition.
She went into the store in Skegness, Lincs., on March 4, to buy some drugs for her daughter who had been discharged from hospital the day before.
But despite explaining to staff why her daughter was coughing, a female pharmacist contacted social services claiming Kiya was at risk.
Social workers turned up unannounced at Kiya’s home in Ingoldmells, Lincs., on March 14 and demanded to see Amelia.
Officials then searched her home and cupboards before quizzing Kiya about the care she gave to her daughter, who is registered disabled with a chronic bronchial virus.
Kiya has now received a letter from Lincolnshire Social Services telling her she is no longer under investigation.
Yesterday Kiya, who is registered as full time carer for her daughter, said: “The pharmacist started shouting ‘she’s choking’ and ‘someone get her some oxygen’.
“I took her out of the pram and said to the woman, ‘look she was in hospital yesterday with bronchitis, all she’s done is swallowed the medicine the wrong way’.
“Amelia started breathing normally and I put her back in her pram and took her home and didn’t think any more about it.
“On March 14 two social workers turned up on my doorstep.
“They said there had been a report made about the incident in Boots pharmacy that I left my daughter laid on her back and she turned blue.
“They then went through my cupboards, fridge, freezer, my daughter’s drawers, and made sure I had safety guards on all the plug sockets.
“Then they sat for about an hour watching me interact with my daughter.
“It made me feel like what if something is wrong when I don’t realise or what if she doesn’t think my daughter has got enough clothing or if she feels the food I provide isn’t good enough.
“I felt like I was being interrogated. I feel like a good mum and do a good job looking after my daughter.
“Because Amelia has a breathing virus, they can’t treat it with antibiotics and said by the time she’s three or four she will grow out of it.
“As soon as this wheeze starts I take her straight to hospital or ring for an ambulance so in no way, shape or form am I a negligent mother.
“What gets me is social services wasted time investigating a matter that didn’t need investigating.
“It’s had a massive impact on my life. I’m scared the slightest thing my daughter does, if she does something unusual someone’s never seen before, that I am going to be reported.”
Kiya, whose daughter is also deaf, claims the pharmacist breached patient confidentiality to get hold of her details.
She added: “What concerns me is I went in for over the counter medication but I am always in there for prescriptions.
“I also make use of the parenting club. Obviously she accessed the medical database.”
Boots have defended the pharmacist saying she acted in the best interest of the child.
A spokesman said: “Our pharmacists are required to apply their professional knowledge and judgment and take appropriate action if they have any concern about patients’ health and safety.
“In this instance our pharmacist expressed her concerns to Lincolnshire’s Safeguarding Children Board by telephone.
“It would then be at the discretion of the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Board and Social Services as to what information is shared between the bodies, and we would not be privy to these details.
“We take patient confidentiality seriously and, having conducted a thorough investigation, are confident our pharmacist acted properly and professionally throughout.
“We remain in dialogue with the family involved so that we can resolve any outstanding concerns.”
* Earlier this month Boots apologised to mum Angela Cropley after a member of staff smacked her three-year-old daughter after the toddler knocked items off the shelves.
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