Mrs A complained about poor communication and complaint handling by the GPs and a GP Practice in the area of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (“the GP Practice”) and a failure to arrange an informal meeting for months despite her repeated requests.
Although the Ombudsman’s investigation found there was a delay in the GP Practice responding to Mrs A’s concerns, this was due to the GP Practice needing to consider further correspondence sent by Mrs A and her husband. The Ombudsman was of the view that it would have been better for the GP Practice to have contacted Mrs A to advise her that its ability to respond within the timescale previously provided would not be met. That said the Ombudsman did not consider the delay caused Mrs A any significant injustice. The Ombudsman noted that the GP Practice Manager had requested certain information from Mrs A on receipt of which she would arrange a meeting. However, there was no record of the information having been received by the GP Practice. The Ombudsman did not uphold these parts of Mrs A’s complaint.