Decision Report 201800398

Summary

Miss C complained to us that the practice had failed to provide appropriate care and treatment to her mother (Mrs A). She said that her mother had reported symptoms of severe pain in her back and shoulders to GPs over a two month period, and they increased her painkilling medication and made a referral to the Elderly Care Clinic. Mrs A was subsequently diagnosed with bone and lung cancer. Miss C felt the GPs should have taken additional action to investigate the cause of her mother's pain.

We took independent advice from a GP adviser. We found that the practice had provided a reasonable level of care. The GPs had taken a thorough medical history from Mrs A and examined her appropriately, including taking blood samples and making a referral for a hospital opinion. Mrs A's back pain had been present for two months and the shoulder pain for three weeks which was not a long presentation. It was appropriate for the GPs to have altered Mrs A's painkilling medication while waiting for the hospital referral and to chase up the referral when Mrs A had not heard from the hospital. The blood test results did not show significant abnormalities or signs suggestive of cancer. We did not uphold the complaint.