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Case ref:201803689
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Date:January 2019
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Body:Highland 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
Ms C, an advocacy and support worker, complained on behalf of her client (Mr A) about the care and treatment for knee pain Mr A received at Raigmore Hospital. Mr A had been assessed by a physiotherapist (a person qualified to treat disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise) but they did not arrange an x-ray or CT scan. Mr A's GP continued to prescribe pain relief, but as there was no improvement he sought a private opinion. The private opinion included a CT scan of the knee which identified that Mr A would require surgery for a torn cartilage. Mr A complained that there had been a delay in his treatment by the failure of the physiotherapist to arrange a CT scan of his knee.
We took independent advice from a physiotherapist. We found that the physiotherapist had taken an appropriate medical history from Mr A and an appropriate examination which resulted in a reasonable diagnosis of degenerative damage to the knee cartilage with a treatment plan of rehabilitation. There was no clinical requirement to arrange a CT scan at that time. Although it was subsequently established that Mr A had suffered an acute cartilage injury rather than by normal wear and tear, the treatment by rehabilitation can be used for either. Therefore, did not uphold Ms C's complaint.