Summary
Mr C complained that a GP at the medical practice failed to refer him to hospital for a specialist opinion when he reported symptoms of feeling a severe crack in his chest and had severe coughing and difficulty in breathing. He showed the GP bruising on his chest and the GP prescribed antibiotics and painkillers, took blood tests and referred Mr C to hospital for an x-ray.
Four months later, Mr C continued to have health problems and was told by the hospital that an x-ray showed he had three broken ribs. Mr C said the GP should have referred him for a specialist opinion when he reported his symptoms at the consultation.
We took independent advice from a GP adviser and concluded that the GP had taken Mr C's symptoms into account and that it was appropriate at that time to reach a diagnosis of pneumonia and prescribe antibiotics and refer for an x-ray. There was no indication that a specialist referral was required.
We therefore did not uphold Mr C's complaint.
Related reading
View Decision Report 201604388 as a PDF (11.07 KB) Updated: March 13, 2018