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Case ref:201903361
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Date:June 2020
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Body:A Medical Practice in the Tayside 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
Ms C complained to us about the practice after she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in her lymph nodes. She had been attending the practice with a number of separate symptoms including a drooping right eye, fatigue; pain in her right shoulder, a rasping voice, vomiting and fainting. She did not consider that these symptoms were ever properly considered as a whole, which may have prompted an earlier diagnosis. She was also concerned that there was a failure to appropriately ready her for the diagnosis, claiming she had been repeatedly reassured her symptoms did not point towards a serious diagnosis.
We took independent advice from a GP. We found that the symptoms were relatively common and were not suggestive of a cancer diagnosis. Given this, we considered that the practice's communication with Ms C had been reasonable. We did not uphold either of Ms C's complaints.