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Case ref:201700272
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Date:May 2018
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Body:A Medical Practice in the Dumfries and Galloway 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 attended his GP practice with symptoms of fatigue, reduced appetite and night sweats. Tests indicated an infection and Mr C was prescribed antibiotics and referred to hospital. Several weeks later, after discussing the matter with the GP, Mr C decided to cancel the hospital appointment offered. However, Mr C was unaware that the referral to hospital mentioned the possibility of serious pathology (red flag symptoms). When Mr C had the same symptoms a year later, an x-ray showed suspected cancer in his right lung and further tests showed stomach cancer.
Mr C complained that failings by the practice meant that he had been unable to make an informed decision about the initial referral the year before and that his life had been shortened considerably. Mr C complained that the practice failed to provide him with a reasonable standard of medical care.
We took independent advice from a GP. Overall, we found that the standard of medical care and treatment provided was reasonable. We were satisfied that Mr C had been investigated appropriately and that the tests taken were thorough. Therefore, we did not uphold the complaint.