Health Board Apologises for Patient Death After Botched Care

The Public Services Ombudsman Wales called it a 'significant service failure'.

Patient Y was initially sent home from A and E despite his symptoms.
Author: Claire BoadPublished 20th Jan 2023

Cardiff And Vale Health Board has apologised to the family of a man who died after 'inappropriate discharge and missed opportunities to diagnose their condition'.

In a report by the Public Service Ombudsman Wales said the patient, named as patient Y, had symptoms of 'bowel obstruction/strangulated hernia' that medics missed.

Patient Y visited A&E at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales but was soon sent home with his initial symptoms.

Two days later he was admitted into hospital where he had emergency surgery. He then later died.

The Ombudsman found “a failure to adequately assess his clinical history and new symptoms”.

After the emergency surgery, Patient Y was not then placed in intensive care, a decision described in the report that 'reduced his chance of survival'.

The report concluded that “had the clinical failings not occurred…his deterioration and death might have been prevented”.

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