diff --git a/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py b/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
index f3df403581..6b992b414c 100644
--- a/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
+++ b/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
@@ -519,16 +519,19 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
         # TODO Add Bed Authorisation Validation
 
         if (
-            not self.instance
-            and "suggestion" in validated
-            and validated["suggestion"] == SuggestionChoices.A
-        ):
+            not self.instance or validated.get("patient_no") != self.instance.patient_no
+        ) and "suggestion" in validated:
+            suggestion = validated["suggestion"]
             patient_no = validated.get("patient_no")
-            if not patient_no:
+
+            if suggestion == SuggestionChoices.A and not patient_no:
                 raise ValidationError(
-                    {"ip_no": ["This field is required for admission."]}
+                    {"patient_no": "This field is required for admission."}
                 )
-            if PatientConsultation.objects.filter(
+
+            if (
+                suggestion == SuggestionChoices.A or patient_no
+            ) and PatientConsultation.objects.filter(
                 patient_no=patient_no,
                 facility=(
                     self.instance.facility
@@ -537,7 +540,9 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
                 ),
             ).exists():
                 raise ValidationError(
-                    "Patient number must be unique within the facility."
+                    {
+                        "patient_no": "Consultation with this IP/OP number already exists within the facility."
+                    }
                 )
 
         if (
diff --git a/care/facility/tests/test_patient_consultation_api.py b/care/facility/tests/test_patient_consultation_api.py
index 1fa6f056af..758163f404 100644
--- a/care/facility/tests/test_patient_consultation_api.py
+++ b/care/facility/tests/test_patient_consultation_api.py
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@ def test_create_consultations_with_duplicate_patient_no_within_facility(self):
         )
         res = self.client.post(self.get_url(), data, format="json")
         self.assertEqual(res.status_code, status.HTTP_201_CREATED)
+
         data.update(
             {
                 "patient_no": "IP1234",
@@ -557,6 +558,10 @@ def test_create_consultations_with_duplicate_patient_no_within_facility(self):
         res = self.client.post(self.get_url(), data, format="json")
         self.assertEqual(res.status_code, status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
 
+        data.update({"suggestion": SuggestionChoices.A})
+        res = self.client.post(self.get_url(), data, format="json")
+        self.assertEqual(res.status_code, status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+
     def test_create_consultations_with_same_patient_no_in_different_facilities(self):
         facility2 = self.create_facility(
             self.super_user, self.district, self.local_body, name="bar"