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Decision Report 201803602

  • Case ref:
    201803602
  • Date:
    March 2019
  • Body:
    A Medical Practice in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board area
  • Sector:
    Health
  • Outcome:
    Not upheld, no recommendations
  • Subject:
    clinical treatment / diagnosis

Summary

Ms C complained about the care and treatment she received from the practice regarding a flu vaccination and that the practice did not provide her with an appointment when she called them. Ms C was subsequently diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP, a disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding. The bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets (the cells that help blood clot)) which she considered was linked to the flu vaccination she received.

We took independent advice from a GP. We found that the care and treatment Ms C received was reasonable and that she was not informed about the risk of ITP because it is not a recognised side effect of the flu vaccination.

We also found that there was no record of Ms C's call to the practice to book an appointment. We considered that it was reasonable that there was no record of this call in Ms C's medical record. In the circumstances we did not have sufficient evidence to determine whether Ms C should have been offered an appointment or that the care provided by the GP Practice was unreasonable.

We did not uphold Ms C's complaints.

Updated: March 20, 2019