Poor A&E treatment resolved after meeting with hospital

Background

A woman complained to the Ombudsman after her son paid a number of visits to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, to have his shoulder, which regularly dislocates, re-set. Her son suffers from a rare and painful hereditary medical condition (Elhers Danlos Syndrome). She complained that he was receiving unsatisfactory treatment from medical staff, which was both unnecessarily painful and distressing for her son and the family. She said that, as a result he preferred to travel a considerably longer distance to A&E in another hospital, where his physical and personal treatment was substantially better.

Examination

In January 2015, the woman formally complained to the hospital. She set out her concerns, and asked that her son’s care and treatment plan be reviewed. She referred to the satisfactory approach adopted in the other hospital. The woman also complained about the behaviour of certain medical staff in the hospital and a number of extremely upsetting incidents her son had endured.

Initially the hospital’s response was encouraging. It promised to arrange a full review of her son’s medical care and treatment plan, to be led by a Consultant from another hospital. It also promised to investigate her allegations relating to the interaction between clinical staff and her son, as well as the family. However, the woman received no further contact from the hospital despite contacting it several times seeking updates and action.

Outcome

The Ombudsman contacted the newly appointed General Manager of the hospital, who intervened, promptly convening a meeting between the hospital and the woman. The woman told the Ombudsman that she and her son were happy with the outcome from the meeting. She said that her son’s admissions to A&E in the hospital had improved and were “very positive and consistent”.