Decision Report 201302276

Summary

Mrs C complained that she saw a nurse at her medical practice twice to report a lump on her breast but nothing was done. In between these appointments, she attended a mobile breast screening clinic for a mammogram (an x-ray of the breast) and, after being recalled for further investigations, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. When she raised concerns with the practice about not being referred, they said there was no trace of the first appointment having taken place. They also said that at the second appointment the nurse did not consider that any action was necessary, as Mrs C's mammogram was already being followed up by the breast clinic.

We took independent advice from our GP adviser who, having reviewed the records, confirmed that there was no evidence of the first appointment taking place. He could see no apparent discrepancies in the records and noted that the practice appeared to have conducted a thorough search. With regards to the second appointment, he advised that there would have been no merit in the practice taking further action as Mrs C was already in the screening system and was awaiting follow-up. In the circumstances, we did not uphold the complaint.