GP consultations undertaken remotely – both on-line or by telephone – might result in critical hurt and even loss of life, a current examine by a staff together with researchers from the College of Oxford and printed within the BMJ High quality and Security Journal has discovered. Based on the report a distant session has the next diploma of inherent uncertainty. It’s because a medical evaluation and not using a bodily examination offers much less info.
Distant GP consultations grew to become commonplace throughout the pandemic and there have been experiences that as many as one third of all GP appointments are actually performed ‘nearly’. This observe is one thing that I’m turning into more and more conscious of in my work as a medical negligence solicitor. Certainly, the Oxford College examine factors out that considerations have been raised concerning the security of this observe, together with the potential for missed cancers and avoidable deaths.
The examine discovered that issues included missed, inaccurate or delayed diagnoses, underestimating the severity or urgency of a affected person’s situation and delayed referrals. It cited various cases the place the affected person died, together with the case of a 16-year-old woman who was identified with glandular fever over the phone by a GP however who died from sepsis shortly thereafter.
Distracted reception workers
The examine additionally highlighted the case of a breathless aged girl who spoke with a GP receptionist on the phone and was informed that she could be placed on a callback record. Nonetheless, the receptionist failed to do that, having been distracted by one other affected person within the ready room. The lady died that afternoon. The examine famous that a number of incidents had been linked to a busy workers member turning into distracted. This facet of the examine reinforces the views of many who the controversial Darnley v. Croydon Well being Companies NHS Belief determination was in truth logical and proper – and {that a} obligation of care must be imposed on administrative help workers to offer correct info.
Tougher to get the true image
The significance of face-to-face consultations with the intention to collect satisfactory info and make medical assessments is clearly evident. With digital consultations it may be tough to totally assess somebody’s total well being and wellbeing in addition to their stage of agitation, normal manner and socio-economic circumstances. Based on the Oxford College examine some security incidents recommended ‘perfunctory and transactional’ phone consultations, with flawed selections made based mostly on incomplete info. Incidents had been discovered to have occurred because of clinicians assuming {that a} prognosis made on a distant session was definitive fairly than provisional.
As a medical negligence lawyer, I’m conscious about the numerous significance of full assessments and clear communication between physician and affected person in avoiding affected person security incidents and poor affected person outcomes.
The Authorities has confirmed that it desires extra sufferers to be seen face-to-face and earlier this yr a brand new plan was launched to ‘make it simpler for sufferers to see their GP‘ by utilising the newest advances in telephones and on-line methods. Nonetheless, the Shadow Well being Secretary Wes Streeting was reported by Sky Information on the time as saying that nothing throughout the new plan would ‘permit sufferers to decide on a face-to-face appointment’.
How we will help
The staff at Kingsley Napley are very skilled in bringing claims for medical negligence the place a affected person has been harmed because of issues with GP care, together with the place there have been points with the actions of reception or nursing workers. If you want to talk to us to us for a no obligation dialogue then you’ll be able to contact us here.
FURTHER INFORMATION
In case you have any questions, please contact James Bell in our Medical Negligence and Private Harm staff.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Bell is the pinnacle of our Medical Negligence and Private Harm observe and joined the agency in 2023 from Hodge, Jones & Allen. He has undertaken medical negligence instances for over 20 years.
