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Case ref:201811067
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Date:September 2019
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Body:A Medical Practice in the Fife 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, an advocate, complained on behalf of her client (Ms A) about the treatment which Ms A received at the practice. Ms A had reported concerns about hip pain on a number of consultations, but the GPs wrongly diagnosed a soft tissue injury when Ms A had actually suffered a fracture of the hip.
We took independent advice from a GP. We found that Ms A had an extensive medical history of hip problems and was under the care of the orthopaedic (conditions involving the musculoskeletal system) team. When Ms A reported hip pain following a fall it was not unreasonable for the GPs to conclude that Ms A had suffered a soft tissue injury as she was able to weight bear. Although it would appear that the fracture had occurred by the time Ms A was seen by the GPs, this was not an indication that the care and treatment was unreasonable. We did not uphold the complaint.