Will my doctor treat me any differently if I bring a claim against him? Will a claim affect my treatment?
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A doctor should never treat you differently if a claim is made against them. A doctor’s duty is to provide – at all times and to the best of their ability – a competent standard of care in a professional and courteous manner. Should they do otherwise, they risk their professional reputation and may be referred to the General Medical Council who will assess their fitness to practice and may take further action if necessary.
It may be reasonable however for a doctor to request that one of their colleagues treats you in order to avoid further upset if you have made a claim against them – and you can do likewise, particularly if you have lost trust in their treatment of you.
In practice the majority of clinicians accept that individuals have the right to make claims, and are able to continue to act in accordance with the professionalism expected of them.
