PSOW (Public Services Ombudsman for Wales) decision

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Decided 20 March 2025 Reference PSOW-202408088 Outcome: Resolved / Early Resolution Sector: Health Category: Clinical treatment in hospital Body on this site: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Themes assigned by this site (AI-generated): Delayed Recognition of Deterioration, Inadequate Pre-Operative Risk Assessment

Full decision

Decision (the PSOW's words)

Mrs A complained about the care provided to her by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board from November 2022 until August 2023. When Mrs A complained to the Ombudsman, she expressed dissatisfaction that when the Health Board responded to her complaint, it had not offered to discuss her concerns.

The Ombudsman found that when the Health Board issued its complaint response it had failed to offer Mrs A an opportunity to discuss its response to her concerns, as required by the Putting Things Right arrangements. That amounted to maladministration on the part of the Health Board which caused Mrs A an injustice.

Instead of investigating the complaint, the Ombudsman obtained the Health Board’s agreement to offer Mrs A an opportunity to discuss its response to her complaint and to apologise for not doing so in the first instance. The Health Board agreed to undertake these actions within 1 month.

From: PSOW (Public Services Ombudsman for Wales), decision PSOW-202408088, 20 March 2025