Mr A complained about delays on the part of the Health Board in carrying out knee surgery for a family member.
The assessment found that the Health Board’s complaint response could have been more detailed, in particular regarding the cause/s of the delays that had impacted the surgery. The lack of clarity amounted to injustice, given the Health Board’s acknowledgement of the impact of the delay on patient outcome and challenges in service delivery.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Health Board’s agreement to provide a further complaint response, including comment on qualifying liability. The Health Board agreed to do so within one month.