Investigation and diagnosis

An essential role of secondary care is to diagnose illnesses that may or may not be immediately necessary and therefore must be investigated urgently. The role of clinicians when providing secondary care is often to investigate conditions which could not be diagnosed in primary care settings. Often, only after a diagnosis has been arrived at via these investigations can a clinician determine whether the need for further treatment is immediately necessary or urgent.

The current draft offers no guidance on situations where investigations are required and is silent on the issue of diagnosis.

As such, it could discourage clinicians from taking appropriate steps to establish a diagnosis for their patients.

For more information:

Doctors for Human Rights:
Defining the role of secondary care