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Case ref:201508081
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Date:December 2016
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Body:Lothian NHS Board
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Mr C complained that the board failed to provide reasonable care and treatment following his report of concerns about his testicular health. He also complained that the handling of his complaint about these concerns fell below a reasonable standard.
We took independent advice from a GP adviser. They noted that the actions taken by the doctors who saw Mr C had been in keeping with the appropriate guidelines relating to problems with the testicles. Mr C had been appropriately referred for review by a specialist, although his case did not meet the threshold for an urgent referral. We found that although Mr C had experienced a delay in receiving assessment by a specialist at hospital, this was not the fault of the GP who referred him. When Mr C complained about the delay, the GP contacted the appropriate hospital department and requested an update on Mr C's appointment. We therefore did not uphold Mr C's complaint about the care and treatment provided to him.
In terms of the handling of Mr C's complaints, we found that although the board had exceeded their 20-day target for responding, they kept Mr C informed of the progress of their investigation. We found that the handling of Mr C's complaints was reasonable. We therefore did not uphold this aspect of Mr C's complaint.