Mother went to A&E to have dog mess cleaned off her daughter's shoe

A mother turned up at a hospital accident and emergency department to demand that doctors remove dog mess “safely” from her daughter’s shoe.

The case is said to be an extreme example of a rise in “irresponsible” visits to The Whittington Hospital in Archway sparked by the chaos in the 111 helpline.

The hospital, which is being forced to sell off buildings and axe 570 staff due to financial pressures, saw an 11.5 per cent year-on-year rise in attendances to casualty after April’s chaotic launch of the phone line left patients unsure where to turn to for help.

This has seen the number of patients admitted for treatment rise from 250 to 300 a day while meaning longer waits in casualty, with the maximum four-hour waiting target breached in almost one in 10 cases — one of the worst performances in London.

Other trivial complaints included patients complaining of common colds and headaches, as well as other non-urgent illnesses where GP assistance is more appropriate.

Martin Klute, chairman of Islington council’s health committee, branded the mother a “nutcase” and said: “I’m lost to explain why someone should behave as stupidly as that.”