Mick Hartley

The BBC headline – Blind woman with ill baby denied access to London hospital.

But she wasn't.

A woman says she was refused access to a west London hospital when she tried to take her poorly baby inside for treatment, because she had a guide dog.

Historian and activist Dr Amy Kavanagh, 34, who is blind, was visiting West Middlesex University Hospital.

On arrival, however, she says a security guard "kept shouting 'no dogs' at me and my partner" and patients and staff had to intervene.

The NHS trust says it is "taking this incident seriously".

When the guard at the Isleworth hospital's urgent care department tried to refuse them access, Dr Kavanagh said she and her partner "firmly replied that Ava is a guide dog and legally allowed access", before they walked past him and headed to reception.

"Luckily, other members of the public supported us and shouted down the security guard, repeating that Ava is a guide dog and allowed in a hospital," she added.

"We immediately informed the nurse at reception who was also very supportive and went to talk to the security guard."

So the security guard got it wrong, and was rude and obnoxious – what else is new? – and, yes, it must have been a nasty experience for the woman. But, however unpleasant it all was, she wasn't denied access. 

Why the misleading headline, then? 

I realise this is hardly the biggest story of the day, but it is currently on the main BBC news page….and it's annoying me.