Can a GP refuse to treat a patient?

Question same as the topic. Can a General Practitioner refuse to treat a patient who is actually showing signs of illness based on vital signs?

Unless the patient is in imminent danger, yes.

Without more facts, the answer is yes since slavery was abolished by the 16th amendment.

Wow, you're hilarious. Just to get this straight, please correct me if I'm wrong, they cannot deny you care then in the Emergency Room, but they can in any other case.

Essentially - IF you arrive in the ER dangerously close to death and too unstable to transfer.

Yes, a practitioner absolutely has the right to not have you as a patient.  The same right you have to select another physician.  

ok, thank you you've been very helpful. Without giving too much information away, I'd like to expand on the topic. If the GP had been putting th patient on a high dose of narcotics and withdrawl symptoms could actually lead to cardiac arrest, is this considered neglect? Sorry, I should really ask all my questions in one post.

Yes, you should.

I doubt it. You have plenty of time to find a new doctor.

Thank you LynnM, I appreciate it! :D

"Just to get this straight, please correct me if I'm wrong, they cannot deny you care then in the Emergency Room, but they can in any other case."

There is a common misconception that because physicians are in the medical field "taking care" of people that they must accept a patient under any and all circumstances.  That is not the case.  While they are in a care providing service they are also business people and as such can make decisions as to which patients they can provide services to.  Most decisions are made based on two criteria:  1) can they provide the necessary medical care the patient needs within their scope of training, and (2) is the patient compliant with the physician in their care.  For example:  under #1: if the doctor has no training in cardiology then he is not obligated to treat the patient's heart problems;  under #2 if the patient is non-compliant about taking medication, drug seeking, owes too much money to the doctor, or does not keep appointments etc. then the physician may discharge them from care with 30 days written notice and supply of medication if necessary.

Emergency room care is an entirely different model.  When a patient arrives to an ER they are entitled to be evaluated and stabilized regardless of their ability to pay or reason for seeking treatment.  Once medically stable the ER must either admit the patient or they may discharge them with instructions for follow up care.  

There may be different issues involved if a doctor previously accepts you as a patient --he or she may not be able to just drop you cold into a life threatening situation.--beyond me.

 Why do you think pregnant illegals wait to last minute and use ER as the entry point to medical care?

"There may be different issues involved if a doctor previously accepts you as a patient --he or she may not be able to just drop you cold into a life threatening situation.--beyond me."

Yes this is beyond your knowledge.  The physician may discharge a patient from care with 30 days notice in writing and a 30 day supply of prescribed medication.  They are not obligated to treat after that if the patient fails to find another doctor and ends up needing care.  The ER is ALWAYS available for life threatening situations and is where anyone with a medical crisis should be going.  

is the 30 day notice state or nation wide? He just dropped her and if she comes into the office again she'll go to jail...there wasn't really a 30 day notice for that...

Why did he do that?