Source · SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman)

A Medical Practice in the Fife NHS Board area

SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman) Not Upheld Reference 202101690 Sector Health Category Clinical treatment / diagnosis Decided 01 August 2022

Full decision

Summary

C complained about the care and treatment provided to their late child (A) by their GP practice. A had attended the practice on several occasions over a five month period with persisting chest symptoms. C complained that the practice failed to recognise the severity of A's symptoms or recognise that symptoms were indicative of a serious cardiac condition until A's health had significantly deteriorated. A subsequently suffered a cardiac arrest resulting in them being transferred to another health board for surgery, where they later died.

We took independent advice from a GP adviser. Although we noted that there had been a delay of a few days in responding to A's x-ray report, we found that the practice's care of A was reasonable, with referrals and tests being timeously arranged and in keeping with A's presenting symptoms at the time. Therefore, we did not uphold the complaint.

Related reading

View Decision Report 202101690 as a PDF (24.18 KB) Updated: August 24, 2022

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