GP Negligence Claims
GPs are the front line for most medical issues. Each day they will deal with multiple enquiries which will require careful consideration of the patient’s previous medical history and the reported symptoms, to carry out a thorough examination, to provide a diagnosis and to refer the patient on for specialist review. You may be entitled to compensation if your GP has treated you negligently and if you have suffered injury and loss as a result.
Within the limited timescale of the appointment, the GP is required to get to grips with the patient’s complaint, provide a diagnosis and agree a treatment and management plan. This can sometimes involve advice to do nothing and see if the problem resolves by itself. It is good practice in virtually every case to provide safety netting advice and to caution the need to seek urgent assistance if the problems gets worse.
Medication may be prescribed and, if a repeat prescription is issued, the suitability of the medication should be reviewed periodically. Further scans or tests may be arranged and, if so, it is incumbent on the GP to review and action the results when they are available.
Alternatively, the need for specialist review may mean that an onward referral is made, either immediately via ambulance in the case of a suspected heart attack or stroke, by way of a two week wait referral for suspected cancer cases, or by way of routine or urgent referral to the hospital.
Where a referral is made and a patient is seen in hospital, or if a patient called NHS 111 or attends accident and emergency or an urgent treatment centre, the clinician will write to the GP with a summary of the consultation and the agreed next steps in their treatment and management. GPs are required to review these letters and ensure that any actions are completed.
The specialist medical negligence team at O’Donnell Solicitors has extensive experience in acting for clients who have been injured due to GP negligence in relation to the delayed diagnosis or treatment of cancer, cauda equina syndrome, diabetes and cardiac problems including heart attack.
