Decision Report 202111684

Summary

C underwent a coronary artery bypass surgery (a surgical procedure that creates a new path for blood to flow around a blocked or partially blocked artery in the heart). C required three further surgical procedures on their chest wound over a period of seven years after their bypass surgery. C’s chest wound developed a sinus (a track that extends from the surface of an organ to an underlying area) and did not heal properly. C also developed osteomyelitis (a bone infection) in their chest wound. C raised concerns about the care and treatment that they received from the hospital.

We took independent advice from a consultant cardiac surgeon. We found that the clinical treatment provided to C was reasonable. However, we found that the hospital failed to provide timely discharge information after C’s bypass surgery and after C’s surgery over a year later. We also found that the hospital failed to reasonably follow up C after discharge from two of their surgical procedures. Therefore, on balance, we upheld C’s complaint.

Recommendations

What we asked the organisation to do in this case:

• Apologise to C for the delays in providing timely discharge information and failure to reasonably follow up two of their surgical procedures. The apology should meet the standards set out in the SPSO guidelines on apology available at www.spso.org.uk/information-leaflets.

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

• Discharge letters following surgical procedures should be sent out in a timely manner and clear follow-up arrangements should be given in the discharge letters following surgical procedures.

In relation to complaints handling, we recommended:

• When a complaint involves more than one NHS board, the boards should decide who will lead on the complaint and provide a joint response.

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.