Overview
The complainant (Ms C) complained about the care and treatment she received while attending Inverclyde Royal Hospital (the Hospital) on 8 June 2006. She also complained that Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board (the Board) failed to satisfactorily respond to her in good time, following the concerns she raised about the care and treatment she received from the Hospital.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- (a) Ms C received inadequate care and treatment from the Hospital on 8 June 2006 (partially upheld to the extent that there were failings in obtaining consent and in communicating with her regarding the administering of the local anaesthetic (LA));
- (b) the Board's final response, dated 5 June 2007, did not address Ms C's complaint satisfactorily (upheld); and
- (c) the Complaints Department of the Board failed to respond to Ms C in good time, after she complained to them about the care and treatment she received at the Hospital she attended for recurring breast cancer surgery (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Board:
- (i) apologise to Ms C for the way in which the decision to administer the LA was communicated to Ms C;
- (ii) remind staff of the correct procedures to be followed when obtaining consent prior to surgery taking place;
- (iii) apologise to Ms C for their unsatisfactory final response to her complaint; and
- (iv) apologise to Ms C for the delay in responding to her complaint.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.