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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. 

 

Type
Type
Health cases only
Was major surgery the only option?
Summary 364 |
Mrs A complained about a Trust's decision to operate on her rather than consider alternative therapies and its failure to explain how her wound would heal after her discharge from hospital.
Poor cardiology care led to postoperative death and poor complaint handling
Summary 358 |
Mrs D complained about the care and treatment her late husband, Mr JD, received from the Trust in spring and early summer 2013. She complained about preoperative advice, that staff did not carry out an operation properly, her husband was discharged too soon and the Trust's complaint handling was poor.
Failure to adequately assess a mole
Summary 356 |
The GP practice did not assess Mr L's mole adequately in 2010 and did not refer him to hospital with suspected cancer. His daughter, Mrs N, was distressed because she believed that her father was not adequately assessed or referred when he should have been. The inadequate handling of her complaint by the practice and the Trust caused her further unhappiness.
Unusual birth complication not identified
Summary 355 |
Midwives did not identify shoulder dystocia during Mrs A's labour, and there was a delay between the baby's head and his body being delivered. The Trust handled Mr and Mrs A's complaint poorly.