Decision Report 201905584

Summary

C suffered from a gastrointestinal (stomach) disorder and was receiving treatment from the board. C complained that the treatment in response to their condition was unreasonable.

We took independent advice from a consultant hepatologist and gastroenterologist (specialist in disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas and gall bladder). We found the clinicians involved in C’s care considered both the physical and psychological elements relating to C’s condition, undertook reasonable investigations into their condition and provided reasonable treatment in terms of C’s symptoms. We noted that it was reasonable in conditions such as C's, where there was no cure, to focus on the management and improvement of symptoms and prevent harm. As such, we did not uphold this complaint.

C complained that the board failed to reasonably respond to their complaint. We found that the board failed to reply to all the points raised by C. C raised a number of concerns regarding the treatment they had received. In response, the board advised that the review undertaken indicated that clinical management was appropriate; however, no details were provided to explain how they had reached that view. While we considered it was reasonable that the board focused on a way forward, to ensure appropriate treatment was carried out in the future and this was a resolution-based approach, this did not remove the requirement to respond to the points C had raised about previous treatment. There was also an unreasonable delay in responding to C’s complaint. As such, we upheld the complaint.

Recommendations

What we asked the organisation to do in this case:

• Apologise to C for failing to provide a reasonable response to their complaint. The apology should meet the standards set out in the SPSO guidelines on apology available atwww.spso.org.uk/information-leaflets.

In relation to complaints handling, we recommended:

• Complaint responses should respond to all of the points of complaint raised by a complainant and be issued in a reasonable timescale.

We have asked the organisation to provide us with evidence that they have implemented the recommendations we have made on this case by the deadline we set.