Case summaries

These short, anonymised stories show the profound impact that failures in public services can have on the lives of individuals and their families.

Please note we have not published any new case summaries on this page since 2015. In April 2021 we began publishing our casework decision statements and investigation reports on our decisions portal.

Advanced filters

Type

Health

Parliamentary

Organisation

Location

Health cases only

Concerns

Results

Trust's poor communication led to a distressing labour and delivery

Summary 724 | January 2015

Ms R's second labour and delivery were problematic and distressing because the Trust did not communicate well or give adequate pain relief. Ms R did not get appropriate pain relief when she later developed a uterine infection.

Trust failed to give treatment in good time

Summary 723 | January 2015

A patient experienced a ten–month delay before treatment was started.

Failings in hospital discharge process led to development of serious pressure ulcer

Summary 722 | January 2015

Mrs Y complained (on behalf of her mother–in–law) that her father–in–law should not have been discharged from hospital and that the pain from the pressure ulcer he developed ultimately caused his heart failure and death.

Trust failed to start a patient's dental treatment within the 18 week national standard

Summary 721 | January 2015

Mr A developed a tooth abscess. His dentist was unable to treat this and referred Mr A to the Trust for specialist treatment.

Trust gave patient confusing discharge information that led to early removal of protective plaster

Summary 720 | January 2015

Mrs E complained that the Trust's nursing staff incorrectly told her to have a protective plaster removed one week after she had an operation.

Trust appropriately remedied failings in midwifery care

Summary 719 | January 2015

Ms T complained to the Trust about the lack of midwifery care she experienced following her discharge from hospital after she gave birth to her son. She felt that the lack of support affected her son's and her own health. Ms T was also unhappy about the Trust's complaint handling.

Ongoing problems caused by heel injury and not by treatment at Trusts

Summary 718 | January 2015

Mrs M complained that two Trusts failed to treat her properly for a fracture of her left foot. She said that this led to a prolonged recovery from her injury and caused her undue pain.

Trust failed to give reasonable care in relation to a do not resuscitate order

Summary 717 | January 2015

When Ms A's father, Mr J, became very ill, the Trust did not talk to his family before it put a 'do not resuscitate' order on his file. The nurses also did not prepare Ms A's father's body suitably before the family went in to say their goodbyes.

Woman left with ongoing abdominal pain following hip replacement surgery

Summary 716 | January 2015

After Mrs B had her second hip replacement she developed ongoing severe abdominal pain. Three years later, this has not been resolved.

Student physiotherapist stressed when bursary system changed

Summary 715 | January 2015

After a change in the way that NHS bursaries were calculated, a student found himself facing difficult financial circumstances when it was discovered he had been overpaid and the NHS Business Services Authority was to reduce his bursary to recover the overpayment. The reduction in his bursary payments contributed to his decision to withdraw from university and left him owing £1,800, which the NHS Business Services Authority later passed to a debt collection agency.