Decision Report 201902201

Summary

C, an advice and support worker, complained on behalf of their client (A). A suffered an industrial injury, with a steel beam falling on their head and shoulder. A had been receiving various forms of treatment since, including cortisone injections (an anti-inflammatory steroid injection used to treat a range of conditions), physiotherapy (a therapy to restore movement and function) and surgery. However, A was concerned that they did not receive any treatment for their head injury. A also considered that there were unreasonable delays in providing treatment and that communication with them had been unreasonable.

We took independent advice from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon (a doctor specialising in the treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system). We found that the treatment received and communication had been reasonable, with the exception of a problem with a referral for physiotherapy, which the board had already identified as part of their own complaint investigation. In addition, there was no evidence that A had complained of a head injury on first attending. We did not uphold C's complaint.