Skip to main content

Contact us to arrange your
FREE initial consultation

Email us Call me back
 

In England each year around 300 million consultations take place between patients and their GPs. Whilst hospitals provide healthcare for emergency/acute, specialist, surgical and serious conditions, most people rely on their local, community-based doctor’s surgery for treatment of minor and ongoing ailments.

GP surgeries are busy places and GPs are required to make increasingly quick decisions about their patients’ diagnoses, referral needs and treatment. Inevitably, mistakes happen. When a medical error by a GP or their practice staff results in serious harm to a patient, the patient is entitled to compensation for their injury and its financial consequences.  

For over 30 years, our friendly, highly skilled GP negligence solicitors have helped hundreds of people claim their full entitlement to compensation from their GP's insurers.

Recent GP negligence cases:

£2m compensation for a client who suffered a brain injury after a GP failed to refer them urgently to hospital with signs of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).  

£1, 330,000 compensation settlement for a man whose cauda equina syndrome disability was caused by delays in surgical treatment after  an out-of-hours GP failed to refer him immediately to hospital when he presented with red flag cauda equina symptoms.

£1,300,000 for a man with diabetes who required a below-knee amputation after a GP nurse practitioner failed to refer him to a multi-disciplinary foot care (MDFC) clinic for treatment of an infected foot wound. 

£950,000 settlement for a client with diabetes who needed a below knee amputation after GP delays in diagnosis and treatment of Charcot foot. 

£800,000 compensation for a man whose bowel, bladder and sexual function were permanently impaired as a result of a GP’s failure to refer him for urgent treatment for cauda equina syndrome (CES). 

£800,000 settlement for a client who suffered physical and psychological injuries from intensive chemo-radiotherapy treatment as a result of delayed referral, diagnosis and treatment of invasive cervical cancer. 

£400,000 compensation for woman left with permanent bowel and urinary impairments and ‘saddle area’ loss of sensation, and a psychological injury, after GP and hospital delays in diagnosis and treatment of cauda equina syndrome (CES). 

£265,000 in a fatal medical negligence claim for the family of a woman who suffered injuries from chemo-radiotherapy and then died from a recurrence of cervical cancer after GP and hospital delays in diagnosis and treatment. 

£250,000 settlement in a fatal medical negligence claim for a widow whose husband died after three GPs failed to refer him for cardiac care. 

£250,000 settlement in a fatal claim for the family of a young woman after GP delays in arranging a follow-up smear led to delayed diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer. 

£210,000 compensation for a diabetic man who suffered a below-knee amputation as a result of negligent failure by a GP and practise nurse to treat or refer him for treatment of an infection after a minor cut to his foot.

What is GP negligence?

A general practitioner or GP is a local, community-based doctor who advises and treats people for minor and chronic illnesses. GPs provide routine healthcare to their registered patients. The GP is often the first doctor that a patient consults when they have a healthcare problem which needs referral to hospital or to a specialist for treatment.

An important part of the GP’s role is recognising when a patient is experiencing symptoms or showing signs of a serious illness that cannot be treated by the GP. It is their responsibility to arrange for the patient to be seen by the right type of hospital doctor or surgeon, within the correct timescale for the injury – e.g. urgently or routinely – and to provide accurate information to the hospital specialist about why they think the patient needs their help. They may also refer the patient to hospital for tests or investigations, such as x-rays or scans.

In emergency situations, a GP will sometimes call an ambulance to take the patient directly to hospital or tell the patient’s family to take them immediately to A&E (the hospital’s accident and emergency department). Where a GP sends a patient directly to hospital they will often advise the hospital of their concerns about the patient’s health and the reason for emergency admission or treatment.

When a patient leaves hospital, the GP receives information from the hospital about the patient’s treatment and ongoing needs. They may be responsible for following up the patient, explaining test results to them, ordering future tests, or prescribing medicines. Even after a patient has been seen in hospital, the GP may need to refer the patient back to hospital if, in their professional opinion, the patient needs further specialist treatment.

GP appointments take place within a few minutes. Within that time the GP must:

  • take care to listen to the patient’s description of their symptoms;
  • recognise warning signs of serious illness;
  • ask further questions and examine the patient, if necessary, to be clear about the patient’s condition;
  • take action to treat, refer to hospital or advise the patient before sending them home;
  • make a note in the patient’s medical records of:
    • the patient’s symptoms and signs;
    • their own findings, e.g. from examining the patient;
    • action taken;
    • advice given.  

A patient may have a claim against a GP if they suffer avoidable injury which was caused by the GP’s negligent:

  • failing to examine a patient, note their symptoms, take their medical history properly;
  • failing to take into account the patient’s medical history or other conditions when making a diagnosis;
  • delay or failure to recognise and act on red flag warning signs and diagnostic symptoms and signs of illness;
  • delay or failure to refer a patient to hospital or to a specialist for a second opinion, investigations or treatment;
  • failure to order necessary tests and investigations;
  • communication errors, such as failing to tell a patient about test results needing action or follow up, or failing to specify that a patient’s referral is urgent;
  • errors in prescribing medicines;
  • treatment errors.

We have successfully recovered substantial compensation for clients injured by GP negligence which caused serious, permanent disability. Conditions in which GP negligence commonly leads to claims include:

  • cauda equina syndrome (CES) or spinal cord/nerve compression
  • infection, meningitis, sepsis and encephalitis
  • diabetic complications, including foot problems, such as Charcot foot leading to amputation
  • ischaemia
  • cancer
  • head injury, brain haemorrhage and aneurysm
  • tuberculosis (TB)
  • cardiac (heart) problems, such as heart attack, unstable angina, sarcoid, and myocarditis
  • slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) – a (pre)teenage condition involving a fracture through the growth plate of the hip

Who pays the compensation for GP negligence?

Where a medical negligence claim against a GP relates to treatment after 1st April 2019, the legal claim is defended or settled in the same way as NHS hospital negligence claims, by the NHS’s defence organisation, NHS Resolution. The Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice (CNSGP) covers GPs for any compensation they are ordered to pay to an injured patient as settlement for a negligence claim. Medical negligence claims against anyone employed by the GP’s practice to provide NHS medical services are also covered under the CNSGP scheme. These claims are managed in the same way by NHS Resolution.

Some GP negligence claims relating to treatment before 1st April 2019 are also defended and paid for in the same way. Other claims may be covered by the GP’s own defence organisation. Where more than one GP in the same practice was negligent, for example, where the patient saw several doctors about their symptoms before their medical condition was diagnosed, we identify and notify the defence organisation for each GP, so that our client is paid their full compensation.

Read more

How much compensation can you get for medical negligence?

How to make a medical negligence claim?

How long do medical negligence claims take?

How to fund a medical negligence claim?

Will I need a medical examination if I make a medical negligence claim for compensation?

Can I make a claim on behalf of a child?

What can medical negligence compensation pay for?

What is HSSIB?

How can you prove medical negligence?

Is there a time limit for claiming medical negligence compensation?

Will I need to go to court to claim medical negligence compensation?

What is causation in medical negligence claims?

Can I claim against the NHS?

Who can make a medical negligence claim?

What is MNSI?

GP claims cases

View all

Awards & Accreditations

Our teams have been nationally recognised over the past decade for their dedication and commitment to securing maximum compensation for our clients

             Brake | The Road Safety Charity

What our clients say

Our clients constantly recognize us as the most experienced, professional, efficient and supportive

See more

"Julie Marsh is a first rate litigator"

Julie Marsh is a first rate litigator who adds real value to all her cases. I have always been impressed not just by her expertise as a clinical negligence lawyer but by the way she treats every client as an individual and works on their case as if it is the most important thing in the world, which to many clients it really is.

King's Counsel

"You have given fantastic support and guidance"

Boyes Turner have a great asset in Julie Marsh, she has handled my case with such professionalism and has kept me informed at every stage over the 6 years. She has given me guidance, support and that personal touch where I could ring or email at any time and she would always answer and give me answers to any questions I had. Would recommend without hesitation. Thank you

Boyes Turner Client

"I have been impressed"

Tara Byrne kept me well informed at all stages of my claim. I have been impressed with the way my case was handled, and the time scale within which a settlement was reached.”

Boyes Turner Client

"Very Professional "

Boyes Turner helped me through one of the toughest times in my life. They were very professional whilst remaining friendly. At times the process was emotionally tough but they were very patient with me and went through everything with me until I understood it. I cannot recommend them enough. 

Boyes Turner Client

"We cannot thank Susan and her team at Boyes Turner enough"

Words cannot express how grateful we are to Susan and her team for the level of commitment and dedication shown to our family during a time which would be difficult for anyone. Susan demonstrates a calm professional manner which helped us to feel at ease. Her level of knowledge has proven to be the best in the field and we fully recommend her to anyone seeking to investigate birth injury claims. You can be confident that Susan and her team will scrutinise the medical notes thoroughly and will keep you well informed throughout the process. We are very pleased with the outcome of our child’s case and know that her work has resulted in justice being achieved. Our family will now be able to move forward in the knowledge that the finances are securely in place for our child to receive a suitable care package, purchase equipment and receive necessary lifelong therapy. We cannot thank Susan and her team at Boyes Turner enough.

Boyes Turner Client