To tell GP he missed my cancer?

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

I'll try to be as brief as possible, and to avoid being too graphic!

I started having bowel problems about three years ago, aged about 19. I mentioned it every time I saw my GP and repeatedly asked about any tests they could do to see what was causing it. My aunt is coeliac so I was concerned it was that. Eventually about a year after my first complaint, I had a coeliac test, which was negative, but symptoms were worsening. I decided to try a gluten free diet anyway and symptoms seemed to improve. GP said if I had two negative coeliac results it would be "unusual" so he might contact a gastroenterologist about it (not refer me, just ask them), so asked me to reintroduce gluten. He then refused me the test as I'd already had a negative one.

In April last year I started having some blood when I went to the loo. It was relatively bright red. I mentioned it to the doctor who told me it was piles and that he "could do an examination but I'd need to get a chaperone and it would be a lot of hassle and take a lot of our time" so I agreed not to have an examination, more fool me. The blood seemed to have stopped after a while.

I then moved home and changed GP, my symptoms worsened and to cut a long story a little shorter I was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer and FAP.

If he had just done an examination he would have found that I had no piles and could have referred me sooner so it might have been caught at an earlier stage.

To confuse matters I'm now back at the surgery with the GP who missed the cancer, but have avoided seeing him.

Some people have suggested I ought to let him, or the practice manager, know that he missed the diagnosis. I am not angry or trying to make him feel guilty, but if I warn him then he will avoid making the same mistakes in future. However, it is unlikely he will ever see another case of FAP with no family history as it is a rare condition, and also unlikely to see another university student with bowel cancer, so it might come across as being vengeful or malicious.

What do you think?

My mum was told she had piles which turned out to be stage 3 cancer (which was picked up immediately when she changed doctors surgery!)
She went back to the old surgery and spoke to the practice manager although nothing came of it.
Incidentally this was the same doctor who dismissed my then 57 year olds fathers problems as stress-which turned out to be alzheimers and mixed vascular dementia.... also diagnosed when my mother changed his surgery to her new one....

Without access to your medical records or a medico-legal report from an independent expert, strangers on the internet are not qualified to comment on whether your former GP was negligent.

Making a mistake isn't necessarily negligence. It's only negligent if the standard of care fell below the standard expected of a GP of ordinary skill and competence

If you are now registered with a different GP within the same practice, you could let them know your concerns and ask them to discuss it with your former GP, if you just want to raise awareness

If you do wish to consider a claim, don't wait too long or it'll be time barred

I have no opinion on whether you should or shouldn't make a claim. I don't know enough about the situation, and anyway, I'm not a lawyer.

But I would definitely definitely recommend complaining to the practice manager in writing. Maybe your ex-GP is an otherwise great doctor who made mistakes with one patient. Or maybe your ex-GP is a lousy doctor who's making potentially fatal mistakes with other patients as well. You have no way of knowing that, but the practice manager will know if there have been other complaints and will be able to take action. Actually, even if there haven't been any other complaints, they can still make him revise his assessment procedures.

I get that you're probably just a tad preoccupied with dealing with your cancer, but if at all possible, make time for this. It will be non-confrontational because it'll be by email or letter, but it will also get the information known.

And good luck with everything, not just with dealing with this GP.

I'm sorry you've gone through this. As a GP if I'd missed a diagnosis (and we all have if we've been GPs for long enough) I'd want to know and I'd modify my practice accordingly if needed.

It in no way excuses poor practice but I think much of the NHS, including general practice, is near breaking point with the pressure and this is
compromising patient safety at times.

For those of you who've been diagnosed with IBS, this is a useful link from NICE, the body who produce guidelines for doctors. Diagnosis of IBS requires careful history taking and some blood tests, but according to current guidelines, not a colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy/scans etc unless there are particular symptoms. The guidelines are always changing though!

Would help if I put the link..

publications.nice.org.uk/irritable-bowel-syndrome-in-adults-cg61/other-versions-of-this-guideline