Clinical treatment outside hospital; GP : A GP Practice in the area of Powys Teaching Health Board

Mrs B complained about the care and treatment provided to her by the Practice. Specifically, she complained that the Practice failed to act on a letter by an Orthopaedic Consultant requesting that Mrs B have bone density investigations and that it had not reviewed her usage of prednisolone (a steroid medication) adequately since August 2017, and had not prescribed bisphosphonates (medication to help with bone density which can reduce in those taking steroids). Finally, she complained that she was not referred to an ENT specialist following a request to do so by an Audiologist.

In response to the Ombudsman’s investigation, the Practice provided a copy of a Significant Event Analysis it carried out in response to Mrs B’s complaint. It also provided details of the measures that had been taken to ensure that similar failings did not occur again and agreed to apologise to Mrs B. Having taken this information into account, the Ombudsman proposed a settlement of the complaint.

The Ombudsman was satisfied, following consultation with Mrs B, that it was appropriate to settle the complaint on the basis of the agreed actions as it was unlikely that continuing the investigation would achieve anything further. Therefore the investigation was discontinued on that basis.