An 18-year-old girl is seen in the GP clinic with a 2-day history of sore throat. Mum says it started off with coughing followed by a sore throat. She is currently struggling to eat or drink due to severe pain. On examination, the patient is having some difficulty fully opening her mouth, but you can see an erythematous swollen soft palate on the right side, and the uvula is deviated towards the left.
Which of the following is the best next step in the management of this patient?
- A) Home with reassurance
- B) Send to hospital immediately
- C) Home with antibiotics (phenoxymethylpenicillin)
- D) Home with antibiotics (metronidazole)
- E) Routine referral to ENT for tonsillectomy
ASCENT 