Can I Sue the NHS ?

After many years and periods of employment and sickness I finally realised a couple of years ago that I might have a condition on the autism spectrum and after a hard fought battle getting a diagnosis I finally received one in September last year hense I am now going to finally be able to at least address my problems. However about 6 years ago I went for a mental health assessment and the doctor diagnosed me as Schitzoid Personality - a diagnosis I wholly disagreed with - this diagnosis was based upon a meeting that lasted about an hour and after receiving the diagnosis a few weeks later I really began to worry that I might be crazy so the wrong diagnosis had a bad impact on me.

I have also had many other wrong diagnoses throughout my life mostly from GP's these range from depression / anxiety / stress / nervous debility and personality disorder - NEVER did any doctor consider anything about the Autism spectrum, never was I asked any particular questions about it ever at all and the first time I suggested it to my GP about 2 years ago I was told not to waste my time, and asked what use a diagnosis would be ?

I am now 44 years old - I really feel someone somewhere down the line someone should have suggested/noticed something rather than just labelling me as a depressive, obviously I was depressed but that's mainly because of struggling with everyday things like speaking and I would certainly expect a qualified mental health doctor giving me an assessment to at least be able to notice certain signs of a condition on the autism spectrum rather than labelling me as having a severe mental health condition, there is a huge difference. My latest assessment says I have no mental health issues whatsoever.

If someone is misdiagnosed for a physical condition and the misdiagnosis means the problem continuing for longer than necessary then they can sue - is my case any different. I took a dislike to the doctor, he seemed to have a lack of interest from the start of the assessment and seemed to just pick up on a few points which he then fit into his wrong diagnosis - for example I told him I felt uncomfortable on the way to the hospital because someone was walking about 4 foot behind me for a few hundred yards, he obviously assumed this meant I had some kind of paranoia rather than it being about my personal space.

Would like to know what anyone thinks, thanks.

Paul

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  • It's now 2018 when I write this, Aspergers diagnosis was available when it would presented in me as a child, but wasn't diagnosed, which is 35-40 years ago at the time of writing. I've had a life of misery and never had a job or support from anybody other than my astranged family, please advice.