Petition Open-Minded, Not One-Track-Minded, Diagnosis, Please.

In 2009, the Healthcare Commission found that missed/wrong diagnoses were a major cause of complaints regarding the NHS : affecting @ 1 in 6 patients. A recent review of biopsies at Bristol Royal Infirmary shows the issue remains significant.
To reduce this risk, it is imperative that clinicians:
1. Have more time to assess patients, conduct investigations, and formulate working diagnoses.
2. Adopt holistic, patient-centred practices.
3. Make appropriate and timely referrals to specialist services for support/advice.
4. Combine resources to work collaboratively on complex cases.
5. Routinely consider differential diagnoses, however rare or unusual, rather than the seemingly obvious, or "easiest option".
6. STOP THINKING THEY KNOW BEST, INSTEAD, LISTEN TO THE PATIENT!
Diagnoses influence treatment - the "depressed" patient may actually have been ABUSED. The patient labelled with "irritable bowels" may truly have COLON CANCER.
MISDIAGNOSIS CAN KILL. Sign up to stop this!