Medical Law Expert Calls For Further Investigation Into Concerns

A medical negligence specialist at Irwin Mitchell has called for a further review to be carried out after an investigation raised concerns over the number of errors being made by GPs when they are prescribing drugs.

The General Medical Council has undertaken a study of 1,200 patients and found that 18 per cent of patients were affected by mistakes over the course of a year, with young and elderly people being the worst affected.

Researchers have suggested that there is plenty of scope for improvements to be made in this area, particularly with the introduction of more checks. They also recommend that consultation times are increased from 10 to 15 minutes.

Lisa Jordan, Partner and medical law specialist at Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office, represents numerous patients who have suffered serious illness and injury as a result of care failings by both GPs and hospital staff.

Commenting on this issue, she said: “While it has been stated that a number of these errors were only minor, it is still a huge concern that these issues have been emerging in the first place and there are clearly questions to be asked over safety standards.

“Patients put their faith and trust in the healthcare system and are entitled to get the service that meets all of their needs. Sadly, issues like this highlight where some people simply are not getting such support.

“We hope that the NHS and other health providers are able to take urgent steps forward and review how lessons can be learned. This will hopefully lead to clear improvements in the prescription and provision of drugs to patients, ensuring they are getting the right support when they need it.

“It is vital that errors of this kind become a thing of the past.”

If you've experienced negligent treatment from your GP you might be entitled to compensation. Visit our GP Negligence Claims page for more information.