Decision Report 202301324

Summary

C complained on behalf of their adult child (A) about the standard of care and treatment that they had received in relation to their mental health from their GP practice. In particular, C complained that the surgery did not provide the support recommended for A following an Adult Autism Disorder (ASD) assessment. C also complained that the surgery had prescribed medication for A without any follow-up despite knowing that they had expressed thoughts of suicide. Additionally, C complained that the surgery had failed to explain the nature and process of a mental health telephone review A had been referred for and that the surgery had failed to let them know when this had been cancelled by the receiving service.

The surgery explained that referrals had been made to mental health services on behalf of A, however, the decision to accept or decline them was made by the receiving service and not the GP surgery. Regarding the cancelled appointment, the surgery said that they had not received advanced notice and were, therefore, unable to let C know that it would not go ahead.

We took independent advice from a GP adviser. We found that the ASD assessment report did not contain any recommendations or actions for the surgery to arrange on behalf of A, that A had been regularly reviewed during the period of the complaint and referrals had been appropriately made to other services. We also found that the surgery could not influence whether a referral was accepted or declined. In relation to the cancelled telephone assessment, we found that there was no evidence to suggest the surgery received advance notice of it being cancelled. Therefore, we did not uphold the complaint.