Trust did not give correct pain relief in A&E

What happened

Mrs B had to go to the Trust's emergency department several times over the course of a year for pain relief. Her pain was caused by a long–standing condition, and it could not always be controlled outside a hospital setting. When her condition became extremely painful, she had to go hospital for pain relief. Mrs B complained to us about the difficulties and delays in getting pain relief when she arrived at the emergency department.

What we found

We partly upheld this complaint. Because of Mrs B's numerous visits to the emergency department for the same reason, the Trust should have had a management plan in place for her. It did not. Consequently, it was not clear to staff how they would treat Mrs B's pain each time. She was given pain relief that was not right for her particular condition.

Putting it right

By the time she complained to us, Mrs B had had treatment that had stopped the episodes of pain. We recommended that the Trust consider a management plan if she goes back to the hospital with similar problems. The Trust paid Mrs B £250 to recognise the distress it had caused.