Decision Report 201904498

Summary

Mrs C, who has power of attorney for her mother (Mrs A) complained about the treatment provided to Mrs A at the eye clinic at Wishaw General Hospital. Mrs C had been referred from her optician with symptoms of distortion in her right eye which had been present for two months. An Optical Coherence Tomography diagnostic test (a non-invasive imaging test which uses light waves to take pictures of the retina) was performed and the result was subsequently reviewed by a consultant ophthalmologist (a specialist in the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye). The consultant reviewed the test results and phoned Mrs A to advise her that she had Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD, eye disease which can lead to severe loss of vision) and that due to previous scarring, injections would not improve the vision in her right eye. Mrs A’s obtained a second opinion privately. The private opinion was that Mrs A required an injection which would stabilise her condition. Mrs C complained that the consultant relayed the results of the diagnostic test over the phone to Mrs A without seeing her and that as a result she had to obtain a private opinion.

We took independent advice from an ophthalmologist. We found that it was reasonable that the consultant had diagnosed that Mrs A had advanced ARMD which was unlikely to improve with injections and that it was appropriate for the consultant to have called Mrs A with the result and to arrange a follow-up at the clinic. We did not uphold the complaint.