A mum said she and her unwell toddler were left waiting in their car for three hours outside a walk-in centre.
Cheryl Swainbank took her son, Pauly, two, to Litherland walk-in centre on Tuesday.
She said she had an "awful" experience and doesn't want other worried parents to go through the same thing.
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Cheryl told the ECHO : "Pauly had a terrible chest so I called the walk-in centre at about 10.30am and the nurse told me to call an ambulance for him.
"I know my son, he wasn't unwell enough to warrant an ambulance being sent, so I asked for an appointment.
"The nurse told us to go straight down there and we did. I took him, and my teenager, in the car, we got there at 11.30am and I gave my name.
"They told me to wait in the car, and I was given the impression we would be next."
Cheryl said she was told they couldn't come inside because a Mersey Care rule states only two chest patients can be in the building at any one time.
She continued: "We were were left sitting in the damp in the car until 2.30pm.
"We were finally allowed inside at 2.30pm and saw a triage nurse at 3.30pm.
"I asked why we'd had to wait so long and was told we'd been checked in at half two, not half eleven when we first arrived."
Cheryl was in tears as they had waited three hours "for nothing".
She claims the receptionist told her she'd waited longer than anyone, she ended up being there over 6.5 hours.
They left at 6.05pm after being told Pauly had a viral infection, but yesterday (Wednesday) they saw their GP who prescribed antibiotics.
Cheryl added: "I think there has been a serious error, the centre said they are overrun with people being sent there.
"We spent three hours in the car with a sick toddler. My other child had to wait in the car for six and a half hours in total [because they couldn't come inside]".
"People should be given, or be able to see a sign showing, an expected wait time.
"I asked how I could complain and the nurse didn't know of a complaints procedure. I was later told there's a woman I can ring but she isn't in until next week.
"People will probably be thinking 'why didn't she just leave?' but I was repeatedly told I would be next.
"I want other people to be aware so they don't end up having to wait outside for hours with sick kids."
Mersey Care said it is "looking into" the issues Cheryl has raised.
A spokesman for the NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are aware of an issue concerning a lady and her child at Litherland Walk In Centre on October 26.
“The Trust would like to offer an apology for any inconvenience or distress this may have caused and welcome the opportunity to speak with the individuals involved.
“Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our waiting room at this Walk In Centre has reduced capacity for the safety our patients, families and staff. Patients are triaged on arrival and assessed whether they are fit enough to wait.
“We are looking into the issues and are in the process of contacting all involved to ensure we establish the facts. As a learning organisation we will then make sure any actions that arise are completed to prevent any recurrence of such an incident.”
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