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Case ref:201302444
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Date:October 2014
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Body:A Medical Practice in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board area
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:communication / staff attitude / dignity / confidentiality
Summary
Ms C complained that, during a consultation at her medical practice, her GP asked her whether she was paranoid. She found this distressing and the GP's approach to be blunt and unprofessional. The GP had discussed referring her to the local community mental health team, but Ms C indicated that she did not want this. The police contacted her three days later and she was admitted to hospital under a compulsory treatment order (an order that allows professionals to treat a person's mental illness). Ms C then complained to us that her GP had referred her to psychiatric services against her wishes.
After taking independent advice from one of our medical advisers, we found that, although Ms C's GP had discussed a possible referral to psychiatric services, no referral was actually made and no confidential information was shared with the community mental health team.