Medical negligence
Navigating your healthcare: the importance of self-advocacy against misdiagnosis
Our medical negligence experts explain the importance of advocating for yourself in a healthcare setting to avoid or challenge a misdiagnosis.
Experiencing a misdiagnosis is stressful, and often harmful which can lead to medication and treatments not working, and an increasing sense of frustration. It can become even more frustrating if you feel you were not listened to properly by a healthcare professional. Advocating for yourself in a healthcare setting could be the difference between a potentially harmful misdiagnosis or a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.
How often are people misdiagnosed?
Our research found that 31.2% of respondents believe they have been misdiagnosed by a medical professional, and 17.2% know they have been misdiagnosed by a medical professional.
Further to this, an article by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) revealed 58,537 cases of patient misidentification logged in Datix or other patient safety systems between 2019 and 2023. This includes 4,713 cases that caused some sort of harm. This data is equivalent to 11,707 incidents a year, with 943 leading to harm.
How do patients get misdiagnosed?
Unfortunately, misdiagnoses are all too common and while there are several contributing factors, our research revealed that 61% of people agree that less misdiagnoses would occur if GPs were not so rushed. A shortage of GP’s and other healthcare professionals has led to longer wait times and rushed appointments.
In December 2024, the British Medical Association recommended that GP’s offer 15-minute appointments rather than the common 10-minute appointments. While five minutes may not seem like much of an extension, those extra minutes allow for questions from patients, they allow for doctors to provide a greater understanding of treatment to the patient, and most importantly it gives doctors more time to listen to patients, explore different diagnosis’ and develop the right healthcare plan.
One of our clients, Anne Shaw, experienced firsthand the dangers of doctors not taking the time to listen to patients concerns.
Anne was diagnosed and treated for cancer several times, this included undergoing surgery and chemotherapy
In 2019, she began noticing some warning signs and experiencing pain that was similar to what she had first felt when she had been previously diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She returned the following year, having booked a gynaecology appointment to discuss this.
At this appointment, after the doctor asked Anne a series of questions, she was told she did not have cancer. With this reassurance from her doctor that she remained cancer free, Anne carried on with her life under this impression. Anne’s symptoms continued to worsen over the next year and she was referred by a GP to a specialist who confirmed her cancer had returned and she required major surgery.
Had Anne’s concerns been addressed earlier and the cancer been detected sooner, in addition to the potential for longer life expectancy and better quality of life, Anne would also not have had to undergo a colostomy.
Anne’s story is just one of many that highlights the importance of timely and accurate treatment plans. Getting the right diagnosis and quickly, can be a matter of life-or-death. Asking questions and advocating for your healthcare is of vital importance.
Why self-advocacy is important to avoid being misdiagnosed
Advocating for your healthcare is extremely important. No one will understand how you feel and as such it is imperative that you raise your concerns with a doctor and have them acknowledged. Making your concerns known, or potentially asking for a second opinion, ensures that symptoms your doctor may consider insignificant are not ignored.
Having an active role in your healthcare can show up in many ways such as:
- asking questions,
- asking a doctor to explain what they mean if you do not understand something they said
- clarifying something you said if they misquote you
- challenging stereotypes if you feel they are present
- Sharing relevant information
Advocating for yourself in a healthcare scenario ensures you have an active role in your healthcare decisions, and you can address potential concerns, such as a pervious diagnosis or a lack of care in your opinion. As uncomfortable as it can feel, you play a vital role in your healthcare.
We are here to help
We have created a toolkit with downloadable resources to offer you support in situations where you need it. These resources can be given directly to your GP to aid in you receiving the care you need. Find this toolkit and resources here.
If you believe you have had a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, or you believe the medical care and treatment you have received following a diagnosis has been substandard, contact our medical negligence solicitors.
Alongside legal experts, we also have an in-house medical team who will help you through the claims process and identify where in your medical journey things went wrong.
Contact us online today or call us on 0330 041 5869.
