Virtual GP consultations and cancer misdiagnosis
Posted on 12th November 2021
Learn more about making a no win no fee claim for cancer misdiagnosis with MG Legal's medical negligence solicitors today.
As the remote way of working for GPs and doctors continues, the prospect of virtual GP appointments continuing into a post-pandemic world is becoming more realistic.
Before the covid-19 pandemic, over 80% of doctors’ appointments and GP consultations were conducted in person, a number which is now at around 50%, despite the complete easing of lockdown restrictions for over 3 months.
While these remote consultations have no doubt played a large role in reducing the spread of the virus, and the transmission of infection to medical staff, and immunocompromised people visiting their GP, the negative consequences of this way of working is beginning to show; including growing concerns over the misdiagnosis of cancer in patients leading to premature deaths and delayed treatment of cancers. Our no win no fee medical negligence solicitors specialising in cancer misdiagnosis claims discuss this below, and highlight worrying new data about cancer misdiagnosis rates.
MG Legal, Nationwide Medical Negligence Solicitors. The team that put you first. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation: 01772 783314 or email at: injury@mglegal.co.uk
What are the risks of remote GP appointments?
When GP appointments are carried out over the phone, or photos of medical concerns are sent via WhatsApp from patients, there is no possibility for GPs and doctors to physically examine the patient. It is no surprise that under this way of working, concerns have risen over the ability of GPs to accurately diagnosis serious health conditions, such as cancers, without seeing the patient in person, examining their symptoms, and assessing their overall physical health.
With the onset of Winter, NHS England has written to GP practices across the country to ensure that they are communicating to patients the option of a face- to- face appointment with a doctor. A new study from the University of Exeter Medical School and University College London, has revealed that only 40% of patients attending their GP received an urgent referral within 14 days of presentation with potential “Red Flag” signs for cancers.
More worryingly, it found that “Guideline recommendations for action are not followed for the majority of patients presenting with common possible cancer features. A significant number of these patients developed cancer within one year of their consultation, indicating scope for improvement in the diagnostic process”.
When you visit a GP displaying symptoms of an aggressive cancer, and receive an urgent referral to a specialist, you should be given an appointment within 2 weeks. A specialist may need to do a variety of tests to decide on a diagnosis, including a CT scan, MRI scan or PET scan. These targets are set by the NHS, but the study above shows that they are struggling to meet the targets specified.
If you have had to wait longer than specified for a diagnostic test for your cancer, had appointments cancelled or pushed back, and have suffered from further injury or illness, and the worsening of your cancer as a result, you could be eligible to make a no win no fee cancer misdiagnosis claim with our medical negligence solicitors at MG Legal.
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Serious delays in diagnosis of Bowel Cancer at Blackpool Victoria Hospital:
Earlier this year, news was revealed of serious concerns regarding the diagnosis of bowel cancer at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, with only one in seven people ‘urgently referred to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Trust with suspected bowel cancer received a diagnosis or an all clear within four weeks’.
According to popular charity, Bowel Cancer UK, a large part of this problem is staff shortages and underfunding of diagnostic procedures such as endoscopies.
If you have suffered from a delayed diagnosis, or misdiagnosis, of bowel cancer or any other cancer at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, do not hesitate to get in touch with MG Legal’s specialist no win no fee cancer misdiagnosis solicitors in Preston. See more on how our team can help, here.
What constitutes a successful cancer misdiagnosis claim?
In order to make a successful no win no fee cancer misdiagnosis claim against either a GP, hospital, or specialist doctor, you must prove the following:
That the care you received was below a reasonable standard, and there was a breach of duty in your care
That this act of medical negligence directly led to further injury or illness, or the worsening of your cancer
When you choose to work with MG Legal on your cancer misdiagnosis claim, you can rest assured that your
designated no win no fee medical negligence solicitor will go above and beyond to obtain the best medical and legal evidence available, working with leading medical specialists, to prove your cancer misdiagnosis claim.
Make a cancer misdiagnosis medical negligence claim with MG Legal:
If you have suffered a delayed cancer diagnosis, a misdiagnosis of your cancer, or suffered medical negligence of any other kind, you could be eligible to make a no win no fee cancer misdiagnosis claim with our medical negligence solicitors.
If you have not been referred to have a diagnostic test when you should have been, or have had to wait more than the specified waiting time to have your scan, then you could be eligible to make an MRI negligence claim, or a radiology claim with MG Legal.
Alternatively, if you have had a diagnostic scan within the allocated wait time but have later found out that the MRI scan was performed wrong, or the results were read and interpreted wrong by a medical professional, then you could also be able to make a claim for financial compensation through an MRI negligence claim, otherwise known as a radiology negligence claim.
Contact our no win no fee solicitors online here to discuss your potential claim on a free no obligation basis. Our team of medical negligence solicitors have over 30 years of experience in cancer misdiagnosis claims, and have a success rate of over 99%.
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