Mrs F had complications after a gastric band operation, and complained to the Trust. Her treatment was correct but the Trust could have done more to keep her up to date about her complaint.
What happened
Mrs F had a gastric band operation in 2011. Trust staff repeatedly found evidence of infections at later outpatient appointments and treated these with antibiotics. However, as the infections kept returning, staff removed the access port (a device that gives clinicians access to the gastric band) that doctors had inserted as part of the procedure. Staff took the access port out in spring 2011 because they thought it might have been a source of the infections.
Trust staff carried out an investigation of Mrs F's gastric band two months later. This found no problem with the band. But another investigation some six weeks afterwards showed the band had eroded, and doctors decided to remove it. Mrs F complained that staff should have done more at an earlier stage to find the cause of her infections.
What we found
We partly upheld this complaint. There was no fault in Mrs F's clinical care. However, there was a delay in complaint handling, during which time the Trust did not give Mrs F enough information about progress.
Putting it right
The Trust apologised to Mrs F.
Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Somerset
Did not apologise properly or do enough to put things right
Apology