NEWLY released documents have revealed that a West Yorkshire GP was forced to apologise after failing to support a distressed patient during a "crisis."

The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman has started publishing complaints on its website from yesterday, allowing the public to see how they are dealt with for the first time.

The first set of complaints to be released deal with complaints dealt with in February and March.

One related to a West Yorkshire GP practice, although the office does not specify the name of the doctor. The complaint came from a patient who found it difficult to arrange appointments because of his sleep condition and who also needed help with his needle phobia and dietary advice, which had not been given. He also said he had been refused help during a crisis when he called the practice asking for help and became distressed wanting to self harm.

The investigation found the practice had tried to accommodate the patient's sleep condition and had made appropriate adjustments, and had also found that he had received referrals for his needle phobia and dietary advice. But the practice was found to have not taken enough action during his crisis, and a GP should have called him. The practice has since apologised.