Decision Report 201609486

Summary

Mr C complained that the board failed to appropriately assess and treat his chronic back pain. Mr C had received a recommendation for spinal cord stimulation (a pain management technique that involves the surgical implantation of an electrotherapeutic device onto the spinal cord) by a pain consultant from another area. The board explained to Mr C that they can only offer traditional spinal cord stimulation and not the high frequency type that was recommended for him as it was not available within Scotland. The board also said that Mr C did not meet the criteria for traditional spinal cord stimulation, which they do offer. In any case, any referral for further treatment would need to come from Mr C's local pain clinic which was not in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Mr C was referred for a second opinion which confirmed agreement with the initial assessment and recommended a pain management programme. Mr C was dissatisfied with the board's decision and brought his complaint to us.

We took independent advice from a consultant in pain medicine. We confirmed that the treatment Mr C was seeking is not available in Scotland. We also confirmed it was correct to advise Mr C that any referral for further treatment would need to come from Mr C's local pain clinic. We concluded that the assessment of Mr C's pain was appropriate and the recommendation of a pain management programme was reasonable. Therefore, we did not uphold the complaint.