Decision Report 201402360

Summary

Mr C sustained an injury to his right hip/leg, which he said was caused when he fell off a chair. Mr C attended the prison health centre regarding his injury on several occasions. Mr C complained that the prison health centre failed to provide him with appropriate care and treatment. He said there was an unreasonable delay in the prison health centre carrying out an x-ray of his hip. He also said the prison doctor inappropriately failed to see him at a scheduled appointment.

We obtained independent medical advice on the complaint from one of our advisers who is a GP. The evidence showed that Mr C had seven consultations with medical staff at the prison health centre over a four week period following his injury. Our adviser said that Mr C's assessment and management by the health centre staff was of a reasonable standard. She explained that Mr C's symptoms and risk factors were not consistent with a hip or pelvis fracture. She said an x-ray was not clinically necessary in Mr C's case and instead seemed to have been arranged after his request, rather than because of clinical suspicion of fracture. As such, she did not consider that Mr C's x-ray should have been done more quickly.

The board said Mr C's scheduled appointment with the prison doctor was cancelled because of security and health and safety reasons. Our adviser explained that health and safety decisions were taken in the best interests of both prisoners and staff and the prison heath centre's actions were reasonable.