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Selected Investigations Completed October 1997 - March 1998 > Part I, Case no. E.1844/96-97
Matters considered: GP's arrangements to admit patient to hospital - his manner during a visit - complaint handling
Complaint against: A GP in the area of Liverpool Health Authority
Summary of case
Mrs X complained that in June 1996 her GP had failed to make appropriate and timely arrangements for her late husband's admission to hospital. He had a history of heart disease. He became unwell a few days after he was discharged from the hospital, from which he was still receiving treatment. The GP did not visit until several hours after
Mrs X first asked for a visit, and over two hours after she had contacted the surgery a second time. Mr X was eventually readmitted to hospital. The GP’s manner towards the couple caused them distress. Mrs X also considered that his later investigation of her complaint was dilatory and unsatisfactory.
Findings
The Ombudsman found that the GP’s clinical decisions about how to respond to the requests for a visit were reasonable, although there was a failure in the administrative arrangements. He found that there had been some uncertainty about the arrangements for the readmission of patients to hospital in the circumstances. The Ombudsman was unable to make a finding about the GP’s manner. The complaint was never put to the GP under the practice-based complaints procedure. However, the evidence suggested that, when it came to the GP’s attention, after the Health Authority proposed conciliation, he acted belatedly and somewhat reluctantly. The Ombudsman upheld the complaint that the GP did not investigate the complaint thoroughly or speedily.
Remedy
The GP apologised. He agreed that the practice’s receptionists should be trained to record GPs 'Instructions in a message book, that the practice would review the way it handled requests for home visits after the normal deadline, and that they should have a clear policy to inform the patient or carer when they might reasonably expect a visit. He agreed to try to clarify the policy about readmission to hospital of patients in circumstances comparable to Mr X’s.
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