Decision Report 201300812

Summary

Mr C has a long-standing lung condition. He complained that when he contacted NHS 24 as he was feeling unwell, an out-of-hours GP phoned him back and said that Mr C did not require a home visit and that he was to contact his own GP when the medical practice opened in an hour and a half's time. When Mr C attended the practice, he was prescribed medication and told to return in a week if the symptoms did not resolve. Mr C felt that the out-of-hours GP was wrong to refuse a home visit and complained about this.

As part of our investigation we obtained independent advice from a medical adviser, who is an experienced GP. She said that the out-of-hours GP took an appropriate clinical history and that their decision that Mr C should wait until the practice had opened was reasonable. Although Mr C did need to be seen by a doctor, there was no evidence that his condition was unstable or that an urgent house visit was needed before the practice opened.