Medical Negligence?

[Sugarpop]

So I am a type 2 diabetic. Normally on tablets but on insulin since being pregnant.

The medication was issued by the hospital in December and they gave me letters which I handed into my doctors to get the medication on repreat prescription. The doctors didn’t bother to put it on repeat despite me sending notes and ringing 3/4 times. It was all finally added 3 weeks ago.

Anyway, last week I went on to order my insulin. I am on two different types. One with meals and one at night (this releases small amounts over 24hrs). The insulin I needed wasn’t on my repeat list so I rang the doctors. The lady who does prescriptions sent it to the doctor, the doctor signed the prescription. I went to collect it today and noticed that the name was the same but the handle of the cartridge was different. To cut a long story short, they have prescribed me with an insulin of the same name but completely different. They have prescribed me with another one that releases over 24hrs. If I hadn’t have noticed the difference the repercussions could have been catostrophic. My dose of the 24hr one is less than 20units. If I hadn’t noticed the one they prescribed was different I would have been giving myself over 80 of units of that plus my own.

What do I do? I’ve wrote a formal letter of complaint but I am so lucky I noticed. If I hadn’t I could have gone to sleep and gone into a coma!

 

[MoominGirl]

I think a formal complaint to the surgery is a good start. I think from your post it was a prescribing error by the GP rather than a dispensing error in the pharmacy? There are so many drug errors involving insulin and as you say the consequences can be massive.

 

[Sugarpop]

I think a formal complaint to the surgery is a good start. I think from your post it was a prescribing error by the GP rather than a dispensing error in the pharmacy? There are so many drug errors involving insulin and as you say the consequences can be massive.

Definitely GP error. The pharmacy just gave me what they prescribed. If I’d have taken that insulin lord only knows what would have happened.

 

[Radleycat]

Definitely need to make a complaint and I'd write it to the practice manager rather than the gp directly. Not suggesting the gp would brush it under the carpet but sometimes I experience things that happen to patients (when we pick them up from surgeries) and we get the blame and the gp often gets off scot free. Some of these things have been life threatening. We always report through our work system.
It sounds like a never incident that should be formally reported by the practice.

 

[Sugarpop]

I made a formal written complaint & addressed it to the manager and the head GP who deals with complaints. If it’s not taken seriously I will seek legal advice and take it further. It could have been so dangerous and if someone else hadn’t have noticed it could have been life threatening.

 

[baby.3]

I just wanted to reiterate what Radleycat said. I've worked in a hopsital before and seen many incidents where the doc has been wrong, yet they always seem to walk away scot free! The people under them get the blame, nurses, HCAs, even the patients!

Hopefully, you'll recieve an offical reply saying the matter has been dealt with. Like you say, it could have had devastating consequences!