Should i make a formal complaint? *LONG POST*

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♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!

I have been to the doctors this morning with an ear infection and found out via my doctor that I have quite bad damage to my ear drums, caused by untreated infections.

I already have tinnitus and a balance problem which can leave me unable to get out of the house sometimes and I have some hearing loss already, enough to make me wear hearing aids in both ears.

My old GP would not prescribe me antibiotics of any kind or even checked my ears at any time when I attended appointments complaining of earache.

I was told basically to take pain killers and keep out of the cold, when my throat and balance problems started, he was not interested, the only thing he was interested in was I was slightly overdue for a smear test!!! Was he on commission for smear tests!! And TBH important though I know they are, the fact that I was in almost constant pain from my ears, losing my balance on a regular basis and only able to eat one meal a day were more pressing in my eyes. I had also almost completely lost my voice and was unable to work. The only time he showed any concern was when I took my husband along to a consultation and he then spoke to my husband, not me and said without checking my throat or anything else, she doesn't have cancer, don't worry.

I started to say something and he cut me off by saying, well if you insist I can send you for a chest x ray but it won't be worth your time or the people at the hospital's time.

At that I decided enough was enough and managed to get on the list at my mum's GP practice, who is brilliant and after hospital visits and tests, found reflux was causing the throat problems and am now on medication to stop that, I even had to have speech therapy to help me get my voice back. I was told at the hospital about the hearing loss, but nothing was said about the eardrums, I just thought it was one of those things, then the doctor at my practice who I saw today is EXTREMELY thorough and really checked my ears as some of the records from my old GP had not been placed on computer and when he asked how long it had been going on, he was shocked. He also said that he likes to ask patients as you get a better idea from them, when I told him I had had problems from about 2004 onwards, he then said he was going to check my ears thoroughly, he found a cyst BTW which is causing the current pain and needs yet more antibiotics!!

I'm wondering what to do now, my initial reaction was to go and punch his lights out, but as my husband said, that would only get me on a charge, should I formally report this GP to my local PCT and if I do, will that blacklist me to my current doctors who are absolutely brilliant.

I just really want to know that others think.

Thanks for reading xx

Replies sorted oldest to newest

DemantoidMember

Complain

It sounds like that GP was treating you as an irritation and an interruption to his work, when in fact you, and your health, WERE his work.

GPs are paid per patient on their lists, and some of them really couldn't care less, as long as they get the money. It's your taxes going into that bloke's bank account, and you were entitled to proper treatment.

Don't worry about being blacklisted - it's your right to complain. These are people in OUR employ, and we have a right to expect them to deserve it.

9/10/097:13 AM

mummymazMember

Definitely make a complaint, that Doctor failed to give you proper medical attention thats resulted in permanent damage. Would be interesting to see what your notes say aswell PB.. you are entitled to a copy of these if you want them

9/10/097:13 AM

charmerMember

as much as i would like to recommend that you slice his ears off and rip his voice box out-an official complaint is the proper way to go
perhaps explain to your new doc about whats happened and get the receptionist to give you the details of where to complain-all obvious things, i know, but apart from hiring a hitman, i'd complain about the old quack

9/10/097:14 AM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

quote:
Originally posted by Mummy Maz:
Definitely make a complaint, that Doctor failed to give you proper medical attention thats resulted in permanent damage. Would be interesting to see what your notes say aswell PB.. you are entitled to a copy of these if you want them

I didn't know that Maz, thanks, I will request my records tomorrow, I don't feel like going out again today, tablets are making me feel sick!!

Hope you are better and looking forward to sunny Florida!!!

9/10/097:16 AM

MoonieMember VIP10 years

I have to agree with Toid. Complain like hell

9/10/097:17 AM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

I will be going to my surgery tomorrow and requesting my records and also asking about the formal procedure in making a complaint about a GP.

What's done is done in my case, I'm never going to get the hearing back, but I do NOT want someone else at his practice to go through what I have over the past few years, after all it could be a child one day.

Thanks all of you xx

9/10/097:19 AM

HeartacheMember

Yes complain, he's a danger. Who else has he ignored, and has suffered damage as a result. And whilst l am not a fan of the compensation culture, l would seriously consider this as well.
My father had his eardrum perforated by an impatient GP and suffered as a result, l wish we had taken this route, but we did'nt.

9/10/097:30 AM

forgetmenotMember

quote:
Originally posted by PinkBabe1966:
I will be going to my surgery tomorrow and requesting my records and also asking about the formal procedure in making a complaint about a GP.

What's done is done in my case, I'm never going to get the hearing back, but I do NOT want someone else at his practice to go through what I have over the past few years, after all it could be a child one day.

Thanks all of you xx

Totally agree, complain. also going to Citizens advice might help, plus you can have 30 minutes of a solicitors time free.. so if you do, have all info with you and ready. I would demand compensation, he should be struck off.

9/10/097:37 AM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

I have got a legal contact so I think I may well be speaking to him as well.. the more I think about it, the angrier I get, all this could have been sorted out when I first got the earache and I wouldn't have all this now.

I just want him to face what he has done and much more importantly, I don't want anyone to have the same problems I had and go through the sheer worry of thinking that it was all in my head or that I did have cancer, that was my biggest fear.

9/10/097:44 AM

CosmopolitanMember 10 years

What an horrendous story, PinkBabe.

I would definitely complain and I'm glad you're going to too.
We all scare ourselves silly with medical worries at one time or another but that's beside the point. Your former GP did nothing to alleviate your REAL medical problems and that in itself is an outrage.
Whether you take it beyond an initial complaint is up to you but at least you have drawn attention to this idiot's negligence; hopefully no one else will suffer because of his incompetence.

Your new GP sounds like a top bloke. He, nor his practice will blacklist you. He has no reason to.

I hope you get everything sorted to your satisfaction v. soon. x

9/10/098:02 AM

figtreeMember

I would definately complain!A word of caution though! Don't say anything in anger.Write every thing down clearly and matter of factly and as much as you can remember. There is a special patient complaints organisation that you can write to,they will do an investigation.The Dr in question will,I have no doubt,defend himself, so be ready for this to happen! Do not drop it if you feel he has a case to answer.
Best of luck.... let us know how you get on!

9/10/098:11 AM

LuxorMember

I would make a complaint. It is disgusting the way that GP treated you. These doctors should be weeded out of the system.
Some of them could not diagnose a broken leg unless the bone was sticking out.
Hope it gets sorted out now.

9/10/098:11 AM

jennywrenMember

quote:
Originally posted by PinkBabe1966:
I will be going to my surgery tomorrow and requesting my records and also asking about the formal procedure in making a complaint about a GP.

What's done is done in my case, I'm never going to get the hearing back, but I do NOT want someone else at his practice to go through what I have over the past few years, after all it could be a child one day.

Thanks all of you xx

It was a child one day. That's what happened to my son. My mother said to me one day: "Is he deaf?" I said no, because I had wondered myself and had rattled some rice in a box behind his ears and he turned towards it.

He eventually went to school and completely failed his hearing test. We were staying with a relative, not long afterwards, when he became quite ill. We rang the local surgery who said, bring him in the morning.

The doctor looked at his ears and said: "My God! I have never seen damage to eardrums like this before!" I asked him what he meant. He meant, that since my son was a baby (he was now aged 5 or 6) he had been suffering from untreated ear infections which had damaged his eardrums so much, they were glued to his ears.

Pain is a warning. My son's ear infections must have been pain-free, or else he ignored the pain. Either way, I didn't know he was having ear infections, so I had missed them, and our own doctor had missed them.

After that, I really saw the pattern. In the winter, he would go deaf, but not cry in pain. So I would take him to our doctor, he'd have a look, and prescribe anti-biotics for an ear infection.

He can hear today but there are certain tones and levels he just cannot hear at all.

Pain is a warning. If you had pain and went to your doctor because of your body's own warning system, then you were entitled to treatment and not to be fobbed off.

It's good you will go through your new surgery and go through this process properly because you can also assure the new surgery you have no complaint against them. They may actually be a bit reluctant to help you, standing up for their own, and all that, but don't be fobbed off, and remain calm.

Good luck.

9/10/098:22 AM

CroctacusMember

Just a note to say though that ear infections even when treated can cause damage...its not just untreated ones...my friends son has had major ear problems since early childhood with ear infections and has now gone completely deaf in one ear despite being under the care of one of the top specialists in the country for the past 15 years (who would always see him at short notice when he had a flare up)

So do complain but if its found that his actions/inactions have not caused the damage don't think you are being fobbed off...it could well have happened anyway.

9/10/098:34 AM

jacksonbMember

quote:
Originally posted by PinkBabe1966:
I have been to the doctors this morning with an ear infection and found out via my doctor that I have quite bad damage to my ear drums, caused by untreated infections.

I already have tinnitus and a balance problem which can leave me unable to get out of the house sometimes and I have some hearing loss already, enough to make me wear hearing aids in both ears.

My old GP would not prescribe me antibiotics of any kind or even checked my ears at any time when I attended appointments complaining of earache.

I was told basically to take pain killers and keep out of the cold, when my throat and balance problems started, he was not interested, the only thing he was interested in was I was slightly overdue for a smear test!!! Was he on commission for smear tests!! And TBH important though I know they are, the fact that I was in almost constant pain from my ears, losing my balance on a regular basis and only able to eat one meal a day were more pressing in my eyes. I had also almost completely lost my voice and was unable to work. The only time he showed any concern was when I took my husband along to a consultation and he then spoke to my husband, not me and said without checking my throat or anything else, she doesn't have cancer, don't worry.

I started to say something and he cut me off by saying, well if you insist I can send you for a chest x ray but it won't be worth your time or the people at the hospital's time.

At that I decided enough was enough and managed to get on the list at my mum's GP practice, who is brilliant and after hospital visits and tests, found reflux was causing the throat problems and am now on medication to stop that, I even had to have speech therapy to help me get my voice back. I was told at the hospital about the hearing loss, but nothing was said about the eardrums, I just thought it was one of those things, then the doctor at my practice who I saw today is EXTREMELY thorough and really checked my ears as some of the records from my old GP had not been placed on computer and when he asked how long it had been going on, he was shocked. He also said that he likes to ask patients as you get a better idea from them, when I told him I had had problems from about 2004 onwards, he then said he was going to check my ears thoroughly, he found a cyst BTW which is causing the current pain and needs yet more antibiotics!!

I'm wondering what to do now, my initial reaction was to go and punch his lights out, but as my husband said, that would only get me on a charge, should I formally report this GP to my local PCT and if I do, will that blacklist me to my current doctors who are absolutely brilliant.

I just really want to know that others think.

Thanks for reading xx

i'd post poo through his letter box.

9/10/0910:00 AM

BojanglesMember

I suspect your new GP is a gooden,so ask him what to do as he will probably back you,unless he is a friend of your old GP,which I don't think he is by the sounds of things.It's always difficult fighting medical profession,but if you have help from your new Doctor you are at least half way there.

9/10/0910:07 AM

Former Member

I think that you have every right to complain,(if you can be doing with the hassle it will no doubt cause you!) Guess that first of all you will need to check that your current GP is certain to commit himself to saying that the damage was caused by untreated infections. i.e. is he absolutely sure, or is it just a possibility?

9/10/0910:11 AM

DarthhoobMember

complain definately!!! sounds like he has the attitude of my old GP (who still is my doctor...but i ask for the nicer guy lol).

i dunno if it's just that people never mention a GP who is decent (i suspect so) but all i hear about are bad GPs! i dont know anyone who is happy with theirs. my friend's GP accused my friend of neglecting her autistic son because he told him he didn't like the cream mummy put on him (for his excema). even though she did put cream on him....he just doesn't like it.
next morning she found a supervisor, for putting on his cream, at her door step

your ex GP has a duty to you and your health...he didn't and that is VERY worrying...and i bet you are not the only patient to have had problems with him. and to speak to your husband and not you is just plain f***ing rude

9/10/0910:31 AM

BazMember VIP10 years

I would definitely complain Pink Babe.... it sounds as if the treatment (or rather non- treatment ) you got from your previous GP was appalling! I hope the antibiotics kick in soon and your earache gets better

9/10/0910:32 AM

Soozy WooMember

quote:
Originally posted by FGG Aka Crocodile Rock:
Just a note to say though that ear infections even when treated can cause damage...its not just untreated ones...my friends son has had major ear problems since early childhood with ear infections and has now gone completely deaf in one ear despite being under the care of one of the top specialists in the country for the past 15 years (who would always see him at short notice when he had a flare up)

So do complain but if its found that his actions/inactions have not caused the damage don't think you are being fobbed off...it could well have happened anyway.

I agree ............i only have 40% hearing in one ear due to repeated ear infections as a child. When I was a kid they gave out antibiotics like Smarties ......still have a damaged ear though.

9/10/0911:50 AM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

quote:
Originally posted by Soozy woo:
quote:
Originally posted by FGG Aka Crocodile Rock:
Just a note to say though that ear infections even when treated can cause damage...its not just untreated ones...my friends son has had major ear problems since early childhood with ear infections and has now gone completely deaf in one ear despite being under the care of one of the top specialists in the country for the past 15 years (who would always see him at short notice when he had a flare up)

So do complain but if its found that his actions/inactions have not caused the damage don't think you are being fobbed off...it could well have happened anyway.

I agree ............i only have 40% hearing in one ear due to repeated ear infections as a child. When I was a kid they gave out antibiotics like Smarties ......still have a damaged ear though.

I appreciate what you both say, but surely had the infections been even noticed on my first visits to the doctor then something could have been done.

I'm still not happy with the way I was treated, surely he should have at least checked me over or sent a letter to the hospital to have them assess my problems, especially the loss of my voice and the fact that I could only eat 1 meal a day.

I made two visits to my current GP with recurring, ear and throat problems and was referred to the hospital, why could the other doctor have not done that?

9/10/092:28 PM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

UPDATE:-

Thanks for every ones kind words and I have this evening spoken to the Practice Manager at my current practice and made an appointment to see her on Monday to have a chat about what I can do and if I want to make a formal complaint about my ex GP. I have assured her that in no way do I blame anyone at the current practice, they have treated me excellently and I have nothing but praise for them. I have also requested copies of my medical records to be made available to me and she has said that won't be a problem.

So hopefuly Monday, I will have a better idea of my next course of action and how to go about it.

9/10/092:34 PM

fookatMember

deffo complain. There are too many doctors like your old one an dthey should be weeded out.

I know of one woman who had cancer and was just dismissed by her doctor until it was too late.

Honestly it makes my blood boil at the way I have been treated by docs in the past and you have suffered for far too long!

Hope its all getting sorted now

9/10/092:43 PM

nanalouMember

Your doctor should have referred you to an ENT specialist because of the repeat infections.
I have suffered the same in my ears since the age of 2 (but it is genetic on my part) I am totally deaf in my left ear and have only very limited hearing in my right ear, even with the use of a hearing aid.
It really annoys me when people don't understand just how serious ear infections are. Definitely complain about this doctor, he had a duty of care towards you and failed miserably.

I have just insisted that my 14 month old granddaughter be referred to an ENT specialist as she is now suffering from her third ear infection in six months, it always happens when she is teething. I take it very seriously, my eldest son's ear drum burst when he was teething at 4 months old, it left him deaf in his left ear.
Ears also affect balance (as you already know)
I have severe vertigo now, partly due to my ears, partly due to an old injury to my neck.
I have constant tinnitus.
I use head phones to listen to telly, and even with the volume turned right up, cannot always hear what is said.
I tend to lip read a lot of the time but now it is time for learning sign language.

Your ex gp needs to compensate you for the unneccessary suffering he has put you through.

I am so angry on your behalf, I could slap the stupid man for you!!!

grrrrrrrrrrrr

9/10/092:45 PM

Blizz'ardMember 10 years

quote:
Originally posted by Darthhoob:

i dunno if it's just that people never mention a GP who is decent (i suspect so) but all i hear about are bad GPs! i dont know anyone who is happy with theirs.

My GP is brillant - a really lovely bloke who somehow makes you feel better, just by seeing you!

Very popular though, so sometimes hard to get an appointment!

9/10/093:45 PM

Former Member

quote:
Originally posted by Blizzie:
quote:
Originally posted by Darthhoob:

i dunno if it's just that people never mention a GP who is decent (i suspect so) but all i hear about are bad GPs! i dont know anyone who is happy with theirs.

My GP is brillant - a really lovely bloke who somehow makes you feel better, just by seeing you!

Very popular though, so sometimes hard to get an appointment!

Mine too..I want to marry him but unfortunately he's already taken! There's a horrible cahhh at my surgery who always seems to have ap'ts free, yet my doc is usually booked up for 2 weeks or more. He's bloody brill and he always has lovely music playing

9/10/093:54 PM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

quote:
Originally posted by Nana Lou:
Your doctor should have referred you to an ENT specialist because of the repeat infections.
I have suffered the same in my ears since the age of 2 (but it is genetic on my part) I am totally deaf in my left ear and have only very limited hearing in my right ear, even with the use of a hearing aid.
It really annoys me when people don't understand just how serious ear infections are. Definitely complain about this doctor, he had a duty of care towards you and failed miserably.

I have just insisted that my 14 month old granddaughter be referred to an ENT specialist as she is now suffering from her third ear infection in six months, it always happens when she is teething. I take it very seriously, my eldest son's ear drum burst when he was teething at 4 months old, it left him deaf in his left ear.
Ears also affect balance (as you already know)
I have severe vertigo now, partly due to my ears, partly due to an old injury to my neck.
I have constant tinnitus.
I use head phones to listen to telly, and even with the volume turned right up, cannot always hear what is said.
I tend to lip read a lot of the time but now it is time for learning sign language.

Your ex gp needs to compensate you for the unneccessary suffering he has put you through.

I am so angry on your behalf, I could slap the stupid man for you!!!

grrrrrrrrrrrr

to you and your problems.

I know totally where you are coming from, I can't wear headphones to listen to TV, they irritate my ears so have to depend on subtitles.

The tinnitus drives me mad!! 24/7 when I am awake and even affects my sleep at times, along with the dizzy spells that leave me sitting in a chair half the night most nights, I have forgotten the last time I was able to go to bed and sleep straight away. I have the radio on in bed which disturbs my husband because he has to be up early and it sometimes just gets me down.

But what makes me more angry is the fact that, yes the infections would have probably caused damage anyway, I accept that, what I cannot accept was the way I was treated by him, basically I was made to feel it was all in my head, when I was suffering actual physical symptoms.

I just don't want this to happen to someone else, so on Monday I will look at my records, I have already found out old diaries (knew I kept them for some reason!!) and will tally dates along with what has been put on my records and find out exactly what went on. I just know I am not prepared to just sit back and let this happen, even if nothing official comes of it, there will still be a record at the PCT to say that there were concerns about this doctor.

9/10/093:55 PM

♥PinkBabe1966♥The Angel under the tree!Member

quote:
Originally posted by Blizzie:
quote:
Originally posted by Darthhoob:

i dunno if it's just that people never mention a GP who is decent (i suspect so) but all i hear about are bad GPs! i dont know anyone who is happy with theirs.

My GP is brillant - a really lovely bloke who somehow makes you feel better, just by seeing you!

Very popular though, so sometimes hard to get an appointment!

My GP practice now is brilliant, apart from one receptionist who was refusing appointments to patients, but she has been sacked, all the doctors and nurses there you can talk to and the Practice Manager does encourage patients to let her know if there are problems.

9/10/093:57 PM

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