Clinical treatment outside hospital; GP : A Medical Practice in the area of Swansea Bay University Health Board

Mrs A complained about care and treatment provided to her late husband in December 2020 and January 2021. She was unhappy that he was examined in the car park, was not prescribed further medication or offered oxygen and was not referred to hospital. Mrs A did not accept the explanations provided by the Practice.

The Ombudsman found that the care provided by the Practice was within the range of appropriate clinical practice at the time and that the explanations given were reasonable. The Ombudsman was concerned that Mr A had not been invited for apneumococcal vaccine, which he was entitled to due to his age and health conditions. The Practice appeared to have an ad hoc system for offering such vaccinations when patients attended.

The Ombudsman sought and gained the Practice’s agreement to, within 20 working days, provide Mrs A with an apology for its failure to offer Mr A the pneumococcal vaccination and to review the Practice’s procedures for offering pneumococcal vaccination to patients and consider whether the approach is adequate, particularly in light of the pandemic and reduced face-to-face contacts with patients.