Office closure 

We will be closed on Monday 5 May 2025 for the public holiday.  You can still submit complaints via our online form but we will not respond until we reopen.

New Customer Service Standards

We have updated our Customer Service Standards and are looking for feedback from customers. Please fill out our survey here by 12 May 2025: https://forms.office.com/e/ZDpjibqe8r 

Investigation Report 201100385

  • Report no:
    201100385
  • Date:
    March 2012
  • Body:
    A Medical Practice, Forth Valley NHS Board
  • Sector:
    Health

Overview
The complainant (Mrs C) raised a number of concerns about the investigation and diagnosis of her sister (Mrs A)'s breast cancer by Mrs A's GP practice (the Practice) from May 2010 until November 2010.

Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:

  • (a) the Practice failed to investigate Mrs A's symptoms properly within a reasonable time (upheld);
  • (b) the failure by the Practice to diagnose Mrs A's condition was not reasonable (not upheld); and
  • (c) the Practice failed to refer Mrs A to hospital within a reasonable time (upheld).

 

Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Practice:

  • (i) undertake a further Critical Event Analysis of Mrs A's care to consider their care of patients with cancer, particularly around presentations which may signal metastatic disease; and
  • (ii) apologise to Mrs A and her family for the failures identified.

 

The Practice have confirmed they will act on the recommendations accordingly.

Updated: December 11, 2018