A Caesarean section , commonly known as a C-section, is a major surgical procedure used to...
GP Negligence Claims
Making a GP negligence compensation claim can help you get justice for the suffering you have endured, cover any additional medical costs accrued as a result of the GP’s mistake, and help you move on with the next chapter of your life.
GPs are often the first port of call when we have concerns about our health. It is important that GPs correctly identify symptoms and either treat a condition themselves or correctly refer a patient to a specialist.
This is because mistakes made by a GP can sometimes have a devastating impact, resulting in long-lasting physical and emotional harm. In these situations, the sooner you are able to access the right support, the sooner you will be able to secure a positive outcome for you and your family.
Speak to one of our solicitors about your GP negligence claim
To arrange a free consultation with our specialists in GP claims, please call 0113 345 2388 or use our simple online enquiry form and we will get back to you within 48 hours.
What is GP negligence?
A GP owes their patient a duty of care to provide them with a reasonable or competent standard of medical treatment. However, there are times this care falls below that standard. If a GP provides care below a reasonably competent standard and this causes a patient to suffer from an avoidable injury and loss, GP negligence may be established.
GPs are “General Practitioners” rather than specialists in certain areas of medicine, which means they are trained and expected to have a broad general knowledge of medicine and should be able to either provide a diagnosis and treatment (typically for more straight-forward conditions such as coughs and colds) or refer a patient to a specialist doctor if the diagnosis of a condition is not clear or specific treatment is needed (cancer treatment is one of the clearest examples where referral is needed).
It is important, therefore, that a GP correctly assesses the severity of any condition and refers a patient for specialist review or treatment in an appropriate timeframe. Conditions that require urgent specialist Hospital treatment would include, for example, a child with suspected meningitis or an adult with suspected stroke or heart symptoms.
The standard of care is judged against that which a reasonable body of other GPs would provide.
If you believe you have suffered as a result of a negligent GP, you may be to entitled GP negligence compensation.
How does a GP assess a patient’s condition?
A GP should take a detailed history from the patient, carry out a careful examination, if appropriate, and arrange for basic investigations, such as blood tests, if needed.
In most cases a GP will be able to provide advice and treatment in their surgery and might well issue a prescription for medication as well. It is important that a GP explains to their patient the advice given, the diagnosis and treatment provided and, crucially, when a patient should come back for a follow up GP appointment, particularly if their symptoms persist. Timeframes for this should be explained.
When will a GP refer you to a specialist doctor?
When a GP is unable to diagnose and treat a medical condition (usually because it is severe, requiring urgent treatment, or because previous treatment has not worked) they may refer a patient to see a specialist doctor at a Hospital to help investigate what is wrong, with tests and specialist assessment, so a diagnosis can be made and, if possible, treatment provided to the patient to try and cure their problem.
Acting quickly is often very important when a referral to a specialist is made. The GP should ensure that the referral letter is sent promptly or, if it is a medical emergency, such as a child with suspected meningitis, the GP should telephone the Hospital directly to explain what is happening and the suspected diagnosis. In such cases, a patient may be sent straight to Hospital or the GP will arrange for an ambulance.
In less urgent referral situations, once the GP has sent a referral letter, the Hospital should write to the patient (copying in the GP) with confirmation of an appointment.
After the patient has been seen by a specialist Hospital doctor, that doctor should write to the GP explaining what has been done, the diagnosis and treatment provided to the patient and whether further appointments and follow up are needed.
It is important that a GP keeps up to date with their patients following a referral by keeping clear and proper patient medical records and ensuring letters from Hospitals are correctly checked and acted upon as appropriate. The GP is in overall charge of a patient’s treatment (this is often not known by patients) so keeping up-to-speed is a crucial responsibility and one of the most important areas of a GPs daily practice. This is why a patient will consult their GP if they want a second opinion from another specialist doctor so that the GP can arrange for a further referral through them.
Patients who have private medical insurance or are prepared to pay for treatment themselves should make sure the GP is aware of this and ask for a referral to a private consultant or private hospital, if appropriate. Their GP should then follow up any diagnosis or treatment provided in the same way as any NHS treatment.
Examples of GP negligence cases
GP work covers a broad range of different medical conditions, but in our experience, these are the types of cases we have successfully helped clients sue a GP for negligence:
Incorrect diagnosis
Providing the wrong treatment for a suspected medical condition
Failure to refer a patient to a specialist doctor
Delay in making a referral or not choosing to make an urgent referral request
Providing the wrong prescriptions
Failing to follow up patients and re-assess the need for further treatment
Failing to arrange basic tests (blood tests, for example).
There are likely to be other types of GP negligence cases and our expert medical negligence solicitors would be very happy to speak to you about these.
How to complain about GP negligence?
Take a look at our dedicated NHS Complaints Page, which specifically includes information on making a complaint about your GP. Most GP Practices will have information about their Complaints Process on their website, within their surgery or, failing that, available by speaking to the Practice Manager.
It is important to raise concerns about poor GP treatment so that GPs can learn from and avoid making similar mistakes in the future. Complaining about suspected GP negligence is a legal right and encouraged and supported by the Government.
Why choose our solicitors for your GP negligence claim?
Our team is made up of specialist solicitors with high rankings in leading client guides the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. We have a wealth of experience with many of our solicitors practising in this specialist area of law for over 25 years. You can speak to one of our expert GP negligence solicitors on 0113 345 2382 to assess your case or fill out our online form.
Our experts offer you:
A free initial consultation to discuss your claim
Close, personal support from a legal team who cares about you and your family
Decades of specialist expertise in handling GP negligence compensation claims
A track record of millions of pounds in compensation secured for our clients
No win, no fee funding for GP negligence claims (so you don’t have to worry about costs)
Specialist lawyers who hold a clinical negligence accreditation by the Law Society
Specialist lawyers who hold the gold standard AVMA clinical negligence accreditation
Reassurance with our skills in alternative dispute resolution. This means that most doctors negligence claims we handle are settled out of court.
Can I sue my GP for negligence?
You may have a legal right to claim compensation from your GP if the treatment they provided was sub-standard and caused you to suffer an avoidable injury and loss.
Most patients are treated by their GP under the NHS; however, GPs are not usually NHS employees but instead provide services under a contract to the NHS. If legal action is taken against a GP, the claim is not brought against any NHS body but against the GP personally. GPs, in turn, have professional indemnity insurance through membership of one of the medical defence organisations.
Medical defence organisations such as Medical Protection Society or Medical Defence Union, will investigate any claim made against their GP members and, if they feel the GP negligence claim cannot be defended, will be responsible for paying compensation.
GP negligence case studies
Our top medical negligence solicitors have successfully pursued many different GP doctor negligence claims over a number of years. These are just a few examples:
Start your GP negligence claim with our expert solicitors today
To arrange a free consultation with our specialists in GP claims, please call 0113 345 2388 or use our simple online enquiry form and we will get back to you within 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions about GP negligence claims
How to report a GP for negligence?
You can report a doctor to the General Medical Council if you have concerns about the standard of treatment they are providing. The GMC may then investigate these.
Click here for more information about making a complaint to the GMC.
How long do I have to make a GP negligence claim?
You typically have 3 years to investigate a claim for GP negligence compensation. Click here for information about time limits for negligence claims.
What is the GP negligence claims process?
As with all medical negligence claims we would need to investigate what happened with your GP treatment and, with independent expert evidence, determine whether any mistakes or delay in referral by your GP led to you suffering an avoidable injury.
Click here for more information about pursuing and funding your claim.
If you want to speak to us about a GP misdiagnosis claim related to yourself, we can help.
How much compensation can I get for GP negligence?
The amount of compensation you may receive for a GP negligence claim will vary depending on a range of factors. This includes the severity of the injuries or illness you have sustained as a result of the GP negligence, as well as any direct financial losses you may have experienced.