Patient couldn't start chemotherapy because of botched treatment for infected toe

A patient at an NHS board was unable to start chemotherapy because of botched treatment they received for an infected toe.

The patient’s spouse complained to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) over the treatment received from NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

They complained that the infected toe remained unresolved, despite several months of treatment, and that their spouse was unable to start chemotherapy for their oesophageal cancer during this time.

The spouse said that this meant the patient “experienced significant pain” and that there had been a “failure” to coordinate their care needs.

The SPSO took independent advice from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and a consultant clinical oncologist.

In its report, it found that the health board had provided reasonable care when each admission was considered in isolation.

However, during one admission it was found the results of an MRI scan were not correctly reported, resulting in the patient receiving lesser surgery.

It was also found that this incident was not reported in accordance with Duty of Candor legislation, and no internal review was conducted to learn from it.

The watchdog stated that a more coordinated approach to the care could have provided a “proper overview” of their needs, including pain management, which were known to be complex.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway did not “accurately” describe the impact of failing the MRI scan to the patient or “acknowledge the impact” this had on their surgery and treatment plan.

The board also failed to initiate “relevant reporting and investigation” processes.

A number of recommendations were made by the SPSO, including that the board should apologise to the patient’s spouse.

It also included following processes after an incident to ensure learning, reflecting on how the patient’s care could have been managed differently, and investigating complaints in line with guidance.

A spokesperson for the health board said: “NHS Dumfries and Galloway cannot comment on individual cases.

“However, it can confirm that it has accepted the SPSO’s decision and is in the process of undertaking the associated recommendations.

“An apology has been issued to the complainant in line with those recommendations.”