Clinical treatment in hospital: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Ms A complained about the lack of recognition of her daughter, Child B’s needs, while she was in the paediatric intensive care unit (“the Unit”). Child B is severely disabled and non-verbal.

The Health Board put forward settlement proposals which included carrying out a further review of Child B’s care, providing information about the facilities available to support families and benchmarking the Unit’s policy about parents staying overnight with their children while in intensive care against other Units. It also agreed to meet with the family following the review. The Health Board as part of the settlement, agreed to the Ombudsman’s proposal that one of its senior Learning Disability Champions should also be involved in the review of Child B’s care.