Festive closure

We will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and reopen at 9am Friday 3 January 2025. You can still submit complaints through our online form, but we won't respond until we reopen.

Decision Report 201908291

  • Case ref:
    201908291
  • Date:
    June 2021
  • Body:
    Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board
  • Sector:
    Health
  • Outcome:
    Not upheld, no recommendations
  • Subject:
    Clinical treatment / diagnosis

Summary

C complained about the care and treatment that they received in Accident & Emergency (A&E) following an accident. In particular, C was concerned that they were not kept in hospital for at least 24 hours following the accident, that they did not receive emergency surgery and that their x-rays were not looked at properly to identify the full extent of their injuries.

We took independent advice from an emergency medical adviser and a radiology adviser (analyses images of the body). We found that it was appropriate to manage C's injuries conservatively and that there was not a need for emergency surgery, that it was appropriate to discharge C with a plan for follow-up with the orthopaedic (conditions involving the musculoskeletal system) surgeons and that the A&E staff correctly identified C's injuries from the x-rays. We, therefore, did not uphold C's complaint regarding the care received in A&E.

C also complained about the orthopaedic care and treatment that they received. We took independent advice from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and a radiology adviser. We found that assessments and examinations carried out by the orthopaedic department were reasonable. We, therefore, did not uphold C's complaint in this regard.

Updated: June 23, 2021