Diagnostic errors occur in fewer than 5% of GP consults, but more than a third of these will likely result in moderate to severe avoidable patient harm, a UK study has found.

Although missed diagnoses remain uncommon, the high volume of primary care consults that occur annually suggests millions of people could be receiving suboptimal care, the authors say.

The study, which reviewed medical records from around 2000 consults in 21 GP practices, suggested more than one-third of identified errors were causing harm with “a significant degree of physical or psychological distress and possibly prolonged or permanent consequences”.

Brisbane GP and evidence-based medicine researcher Professor Jenny Doust, from the University of Queensland, said the figures were similar to Australian estimates, and the reasons for the errors were applicable here too.