Decision Report 201602674

  • Case ref:
    201602674
  • Date:
    February 2017
  • Body:
    A Medical Practice in the Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board area
  • Sector:
    Health
  • Outcome:
    Not upheld, no recommendations
  • Subject:
    clinical treatment / diagnosis

Summary

Mr C complained to us that his GP had not provided him with appropriate medication in view of his symptoms and medical history. Mr C had on-going high blood pressure and this was complicated by low sodium levels. He felt that the medications his GP had prescribed him were the cause of him being hospitalised due to low sodium and dehydration.

We took independent medical advice and found that whilst it had been difficult to balance Mr C's blood pressure and sodium levels, his GP had prescribed him appropriate mediation. We found that when he was hospitalised, he was suffering from a very rare side effect of one of his medications. The adviser said that they would not have expected Mr C's GP to have been alert to the possibility of this side effect. We found that there was one occasion on which Mr C's GP could have given Mr C a blood test and failed to. However, we noted that the practice had already apologised for this. Therefore, we did not uphold Mr C's complaint.

Updated: March 13, 2018