Decision Report 202004806

Summary

C complained about their waiting time for hip replacement surgery. C was initially added onto the waiting list for surgery but was later removed after C advised the board of their personal circumstances. A couple of months later, C was added back onto the waiting list for surgery but, after a long wait, C had the hip replacement carried out privately later in the year.

We took independent advice from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon (a specialist in the treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system). We found that C was correctly removed from the waiting list because their personal circumstances meant that they would be unable to undergo hip replacement surgery. However, this decision was not explained to C at the time. We also found that C was unreasonably added back on to the waiting list, when they remained unfit for surgery. We also concluded that there was no out-patient clinic letter to match the date that C was added back onto the waiting list. For these reasons, we upheld C's complaint.

Recommendations

What we asked the organisation to do in this case:

• Apologise to C for not informing them of the decision to remove them from the waiting list for surgery, for adding them back onto the waiting list when they were not fit for surgery and for there being no out-patient clinic letter to match the date that C

What we said should change to put things right in future:

• Out-patient clinic letters should be in place to match the date a patient is added to the waiting list.
• Patients should be informed when a decision is made to remove them from the orthopaedic waiting list for surgery.

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.