Miss T complained that when she went to A&E with a broken arm, she was not given any pain relief and that doctors failed to notice a wound on her elbow which subsequently became infected. She also complained she was not given pain relief when she went to A&E again the following week.
Miss T went to the Trust's A&E at after falling off a motorbike. She had injured her shoulder and an X-ray showed she had fractured her right arm. Staff placed her arm in a sling and made an appointment for her to see the fracture clinic in a few days.
The following week, Miss T went to A&E again because her right elbow had become infected. The wound was cleaned and she was prescribed seven days' antibiotics and advised to see her GP in a few days.
Miss T's fracture did not heal as planned and she had an operation to mend it.
What we found
The Trust failed to give Miss T painkillers on two separate visits to A&E, and did not spot her elbow wound, which became infected.
These failings caused pain, discomfort and distress for Miss T.
However, they did not lead to any significant delay in her having surgery or to a poorer outcome. For this reason, we partly upheld Miss T's complaint.
Putting it right
The Trust paid Miss T £500 in recognition of the impact the failings had on her. It also told her what it had done to make sure it gives timely pain relief to people in A&E.
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Essex
Did not apologise properly or do enough to put things right
Compensation for non-financial loss
Recommendation to learn lessons or draw up an action plan