Case studies

Extent of responsibility in DVLA assessment
Extent of responsibility in DVLA assessment

14 March 2017

A patient in his late 40s saw an independent MDU GP member for a DVLA assessment in 2002.

Pedicle screw placement in spinal surgery
Pedicle screw replacement in spinal surgery

14 March 2017

A patient in his 40s with a long history of low back pain was referred to a highly experienced orthopaedic spinal surgeon, an MDU member.

Ruptured Achilles tendon
Ruptured Achilles tendon

14 March 2017

A patient developed a pre-Achilles tendon bursitis and was referred for a steroid injection.

Prescription error
Prescription error

17 February 2016

A 23-year old female presented to a GP, an MDU member, with several complaints including folliculitis, recurrent ear infections and change of OCP.

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Bilateral vocal chord paralysis

10 January 2014

A patient claimed he should have been warned of a 2 in 10,000 risk of bilateral chord damage

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Bile leak

10 January 2014

A patient claimed her surgeon should have converted to an open procedure to locate and repair a bile duct injury caused during a laparascopic cholescystectomy

Lump behind the knee

4 December 2013

The patient, a 60-year old woman who had previously been fit and well, consulted a GP MDU member for a second opinion on a lump behind her right knee, which her own GP thought was a Baker's cyst.

Pneumonia in neonate

4 December 2013

In 1990, a 30-year old primigravida patient consulted her GP at 26/40 with symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI).

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Full records help defence

4 December 2013

The patient, a 25-year old woman, initially saw her GP complaining of a sore throat and a cough and was diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection.

Acute abdomen

4 December 2013

A GP member responded to an early morning request to visit a male patient in his late 20's.