In a careful judgment in the high value clinical negligence claim, Tucker v Griffiths [2016] EWHC 1214 (QB), Garnham J. decided that the appropriate test for referral to hospital of infective endocarditis was reasonable suspicion. The probability of it being the diagnosis was too high a threshold, but equally the least suspicion was too low a threshold. On the facts the GP in question had no proper basis for reasonably suspecting infective endocarditis and the claim was dismissed.

Jeremy Hyam QC was for the Defendant instructed by Nabarro.