Tuesday 20 October: Complaint form offline

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At present, we have no access to the case management system and we are currently unable to provide updates on existing cases.

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Decision Report 201903361

  • Case ref:
    201903361
  • Date:
    June 2020
  • Body:
    A Medical Practice in the Tayside NHS Board area
  • Sector:
    Health
  • Outcome:
    Not upheld, no recommendations
  • Subject:
    clinical treatment / diagnosis

Summary

Ms C complained to us about the practice after she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in her lymph nodes. She had been attending the practice with a number of separate symptoms including a drooping right eye, fatigue; pain in her right shoulder, a rasping voice, vomiting and fainting. She did not consider that these symptoms were ever properly considered as a whole, which may have prompted an earlier diagnosis. She was also concerned that there was a failure to appropriately ready her for the diagnosis, claiming she had been repeatedly reassured her symptoms did not point towards a serious diagnosis.

We took independent advice from a GP. We found that the symptoms were relatively common and were not suggestive of a cancer diagnosis. Given this, we considered that the practice's communication with Ms C had been reasonable. We did not uphold either of Ms C's complaints.

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Updated: June 17, 2020