Decision Report 201500437

Summary

Miss C complained to the medical practice because she said the doctor had inappropriately told her mother (Mrs A) at a consultation that she had been diagnosed with dementia. Miss C said the doctor repeated the diagnosis of dementia to both herself and her father in further phone calls. However, it was confirmed that Mrs A did not have dementia. The doctor denied telling Mrs A and her family that she had been diagnosed with dementia. Instead, the doctor said she advised that there was a possible diagnosis.

Having reviewed the related medical information, the evidence available suggested dementia was being explored as a possible diagnosis and at no point was it confirmed as having been diagnosed. We did not see any evidence to suggest that the doctor, or any of the other clinicians involved in Mrs A's case, had confirmed a diagnosis of dementia. Therefore, we did not uphold the complaint.