Out of hours GP service sees big rise in complaints

Complaints about treatment provided by GPs outside normal working hours have risen significantly over the past seven years, according to new figures published by the Medical Defence Union (MDU).

A new survey of GP complaints by the MDU revealed that out of hours complaints now account for 10% of all complaints notified to the MDU by its members – whereas in 1997, they accounted for just 1% of all complaints.

Over the seven-year period from 1997 to the end of last month, 421 complaints arose from out of hours care. In 1997, 21 complaints notified to the MDU were about out of hours care, whereas last year there were 120 complaints, and already this year, 116 complaints have been notified.

Dr Karen Dalby, clinical risk manager at the MDU, said: "The rising number of complaints about out of hours care is perhaps surprising given the relatively small number of these consultations that take place, compared to those during surgery hours.

"We do not know for sure why patients are complaining more about out of hours treatment, but it could be because of the change in the way these services are provided."

Over the last few years, more GPs have been switching to out of hours co-operatives - a group of GPs coming together to provide out of hours care in shifts - or deputising services. This means that patients will often be seen by, or talk to, a doctor who is not their usual GP and so may not know their medical history, the MDU says.

The MDU said that some of these complaints could have arisen because of breakdowns in communication and could be avoided with the establishment of good communication links between GPs and out of hours providers.

"For example GPs may wish to tell their out of hours provider if a terminally ill patient is likely to need pain relief and out of hours services should report back to GPs about any treatment given or follow up that is required", said Dr Dalby.

The figures are taken from a larger survey of GP complaints which shows that 1,701 members asked the MDU for help with complaints last year, three times as many as when the procedure was first introduced in 1996 when just 557 complaints were notified.

The survey also showed that during 2001 and 2002 around 90% of complaints were resolved by the practice at the first stage, known as local resolution. Only a small percentage of complaints progressed to the Ombudsman, the General Medical Council or became medical negligence claims.

(gmcg)