It is a sad fact that a number of brain tumour patients go through a miserable experience of misdiagnosis, perhaps visiting their family doctor time and again or presenting at A&E, only to be sent away feeling that they have not being listened to, being ‘fobbed off’,  being sent home without investigations, or given dismissive advice such as ‘Stop smoking’, ‘Stop burning the candle at both ends’, ‘It’s depression’ ‘It’s vertigo’ or as one person described when she asked if it could possibly be a brain tumour ‘Of course not’.  

If you have had such an experience and feel unhappy about it, it is well worth considering making a formal complaint and, if this is the case, here are some tips/advice on how to do that:

*It is not advisable to write directly to the medical professionals involved as the complaint will go no further. Instead, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) of the Hospital Trust you are under and ask to whom you need address a formal complaint. 

*Perhaps start your letter (if you feel this way) stating ‘It is with deep regret that I make this formal complaint.  I would like to make it clear that I do not wish to sue or seek recompense, or for any medical professional to unnecessarily lose their job; I just want those involved to learn from their mistakes so that they never do this to anyone else.’

*Try to keep your emotions out of the letter until the last paragraph. 

*Keep to bullet points with as many of the dates of GP/hospital/telephone appointments as you can recall, with names of doctors if known and add a brief description of what was said. Try to keep to the facts.  

*Finish with a brief description of how this has impacted on you and/or your family.

*Include your NHS number or hospital number if known, your address, date of birth and contact number.