Investigation reports

The wife of a cancer patient complained about his care in Belfast City Hospital. We found that overall the patient’s pain was appropriately assessed and managed. However, we also concluded that he failed to get radiotherapy when he needed it because of a delay in receiving a biopsy.

The parents of a 20 month old boy complained about the care he received in Antrim Area Hospital, saying that they had to leave the Emergency Department as they feared staff were inept.  Our investigation found that his treatment was acceptable and within the Trust’s guidelines.

We asked the Western Health and Social Care Trust to use the newly appointed Learning Disability Liaison Nurse to ensure that appropriate training is provided to staff who care for patients with disabilities. We also recommended it develop an online information resource for staff to help them care for other vulnerable adults.

We partially upheld a complaint from two sisters who believed that the Trust ignored their concerns when it came to the care of their mother in a nursing home.

We found that the Northern Health and Social Care Trust carried out a safeguarding investigation broadly in line with its procedures, but were critical that the investigation did not find out how the resident sustained bruising during her time in the home.

Our investigation found that the care and treatment of a patient in the Royal Victoria Hospital was reasonable and appropriate.  However, we also found that she should have been told what symptoms to look out for in case she needed to return to the Emergency Department or visit her GP.