Summary
Ms C, who works for an advocacy and support agency, complained on behalf of her client (Ms A) about the care and treatment Ms A received at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Ms A had painful and uncomfortable symptoms in her throat and neck, which affected her breathing and swallowing. After investigations were carried out, Ms A was told that no physical cause was found to explain these symptoms. Ms A was referred to psychiatry and she was diagnosed with somatoform disorder (a syndrome where someone has recurring physical symptoms thought to be caused by psychological or emotional factors). Ms A complained that following this diagnosis, she was not given treatment for her physical symptoms.
We took independent advice from a consultant psychiatrist. We found that Ms A's psychiatry assessment was comprehensive and she was diagnosed with somatoform disorder with the appropriate input of various medical specialists. We also found that a reasonable decision was made not to investigate Ms A's physical symptoms any further, as that can be harmful for someone with somatoform disorder. We did not uphold Ms C's complaint.
Related reading
View Decision Report 201705433 as a PDF (11.15 KB) Updated: December 2, 2018