NHS Fife doctors failed to notice tumour was growing on patient's vagus nerve before cutting it

NHS Fife has been forced to apologise after it failed to notice a tumour was growing on a patient’s vagus nerve before cutting it during surgery.

The mistake caused the person to experience paralysis of the stomach, resulting in food and liquid remaining in the stomach for a prolonged period, and vocal cord palsy.

A complaint was made to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), who took advice from an independent ear, nose and throat consultant.

The watchdog found that the care the patient received was “unreasonable” because there was a “failure to recognise the lesion involved the vagus nerve and a failure to adequately discuss risks and consequences” with the patient prior to surgery.

“We considered that it should have been made clearer to [the patient] that the surgery was likely to lead to injury or loss of function of the nerve,” the SPSO said.

“We also found that the events should have triggered the duty of candour process and that there was a failure to acknowledge that the failings had occurred.”

The patient’s complaint was upheld, and NHS Fife was ordered to apologise for its failings.

The watchdog also said the health board should carefully consider similar tumours in the future and clearly explain the risks and consequences of removal to patients.

NHS Fife’s director of nursing, Gillian McAuley, said: “We strive to provide all patients with the highest standard of care and in this instance, we accept that aspects of the care we provided fell short of those high standards.

“We have formally apologised to the patient, and we are working to implement the recommendations from the SPSO to ensure that lessons are learned and the necessary improvements are made.”