Source · SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman)

Lothian NHS Board

SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman) Upheld Reference 201508083 Sector Health Category policy / administration Decided 01 December 2016

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Duty of Candour implementation

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The board were unable to identify who opened Mr C's mail, but they acknowledged that it appeared to have arrived at the health centre unopened. They accepted that the item should not have been opened by staff and that an apology should have been issued to Mr C as soon as it was identified that it had been opened in error. We therefore upheld Mr C's complaint.

Recommendations

We recommended that the board: issue appropriate staff guidance on the handling of prisoner mail by healthcare staff.

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Lothian NHS Board

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