Mrs C complained about the care that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board provided to her mother, Mrs A. Mrs C described poor communication and a lack of empathy from hospital staff and said that Mrs A was discharged to a care home, despite a deterioration in her condition.
The Ombudsman noted that the Health Board had accepted that communication was not always good enough. It had apologised and taken action to improve the service it provides. However, the Ombudsman decided that the Health Board had not adequately considered alternative treatment and discharge options and there was inadequate documentation of the clinical decision-making. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Health Board’s agreement to provide feedback to the doctor involved and write to Mrs C, within 1 month, to acknowledge and apologise for not meeting the expected standards regarding the consideration of alternative treatment options, clinical documentation and communication. The Health Board also agreed to consider ways that its Palliative Care Service could support service improvement on the ward that looked after Mrs A.