Mrs M, in her eighties, waited nearly a week for surgery after she fell at home and fractured her hip.
What happened
Mrs M complained about the length of time she had to wait for surgery and about the way her complaint was subsequently handled. The Trust explained some of the reasons for the delay in surgery but did not acknowledge any failings in the care it had given. It apologised for the way it had handled Mrs M's complaint and explained how it had improved.
What we found
There were some reasonable explanations for the delay in Mrs M's surgery. However, several aspects of her care did not comply with relevant guidelines and best practice. There were also failings in the content of Mrs M's medical records, which lacked sufficient detail.
While we found failings in the way the Trust handled Mrs M's complaint, it had already taken reasonable steps to put things right in this area by apologising and sharing information about improvements it had made.
Putting it right
The Trust paid Mrs M £500, apologised for the failings we identified in her care and treatment and drew up an action plan to address those failings.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Shropshire
Replied with inaccurate or incomplete information
Apology
Compensation for non-financial loss
Recommendation to learn lessons or draw up an action plan