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Case ref:201502370
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Date:March 2016
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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:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Mr C, who works for an advice agency, complained to the medical practice on behalf of his client (Mr A) who suffered from lower back and leg pain. Mr A said that there had been a delay by the practice in referring him for a MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging - a scan used to diagnose health conditions that affect organs, tissue and bone) and it did not appear that they had followed the correct referral process and that had contributed to the delay. It was only after an appointment with a private physiotherapist that a MRI scan was arranged.
We took independent advice from a GP adviser and concluded that the practice had made appropriate referrals for specialist opinions from physiotherapy and orthopaedics and that initially there were no indications that, from a clinical perspective, a MRI scan was appropriate. By the time Mr A had seen the private physiotherapist, the clinical situation had deteriorated and at that time it was then appropriate to make a referral for an MRI scan. We did not uphold the complaint.