Decision Report 201301042

Summary

Mr C complained about an operation at Monklands Hospital, and about the medical and nursing care provided there. He believed an experimental procedure had been performed on his nose, and said that he was now embarassed by its appearance. Mr C also complained that he was not given enough information to give informed consent to the operation, and that photographs were taken without his consent. He also complained that there was a poor standard of cleanliness at the hospital.

We took advice from our medical adviser, a specialist in cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery. He said there had been three previous operations on Mr C's nose, and that each made the next procedure more difficult, due to the scarring caused. The adviser said that the operation was a complex but standard procedure and had been carried out successfully. He noted that Mr C had been provided with the mobile phone number of the consultant surgeon who carried out his operation, which was unusual and in his view, showed a high standard of personal care and attention to Mr C.

Our investigation found there was no evidence Mr C had objected at the time to the amount of information he was given before giving his consent to the operation. We also found no evidence that the hospital had failed to meet an acceptable standard of cleanliness, or that Mr C had not been provided with an appropriate level of care and treatment. There was no evidence that photographs were taken during the operation and retained by the board.