Clinical treatment in hospital : Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

On 11 June 2019 at Nevill Hall Hospital, Ms X delivered a baby boy. Afterwards, Ms X had a tear that needed to be repaired with 4 sutures; a clinical decision was made not to administer local anaesthetic as the needle would have caused the same level of discomfort. Ms X said that, during this procedure, she had been in excruciating pain.

The Ombudsman found that there was inadequate conversation with Ms X about pain relief options and there was a failure to administer local anaesthetic. The Ombudsman upheld the complaint.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board agreed to implement the Ombudsman’s recommendations: within 1 month to apologise to Ms X for the failings and make a redress payment of £1,000, and within 3 months to highlight this incident within the maternity unit as a learning point.