Decision Report 201507833

Summary

Mrs C complained to us that she had repeatedly asked the medical practice whether they had access to a report on the colonoscopy procedure (examination of the bowel with a camera on a flexible tube) which she underwent in hospital. The practice said that they would have to wait until the hospital advised them of the result. Mrs C contacted the hospital and was told that the practice could have obtained the report electronically. Mrs C complained to the practice and they said that while the result of the report was available electronically it would be for the hospital clinician who requested the report to advise the patient and the practice of the result.

We took independent advice from a GP adviser and concluded that while the result was available electronically it was outwith the role of a GP to report the result to the patient. It was the responsibility of the clinician who arranged the test to report the result. A GP would not be able to interpret the result of the test or know what the patient's management plan was. We also found that the practice had made contact with the hospital who explained that there was a backlog in the reporting of the results and that their involvement actually meant that the result was reported earlier than it would otherwise have been. We did not uphold the complaint.