NHS Borders has apologised for its “failings” after parts of a patient’s care were found to be unreasonable.

Patient ‘C’ was urgently referred to the gastroenterology department after experiencing back pain and rectal bleeding, according to a report published by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Following a colonoscopy, C was advised there was a probable tumour in their lower bowel.

However, the patient experienced “significant delays” in treatment, with NHS Borders falling short of Scottish Government targets.

The health board also downgraded C’s referral and failed to treat their condition as cancer, according to the report.

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“We found that it was reasonable that C was not referred to an oncologist and that investigations of a tumour reported following their colonoscopy were reasonable,” the ombudsman papers state.

“However, we found that the board had unreasonably downgraded C’s referral and that the board’s failure to treat C’s condition as cancer was unreasonable.

“We noted that the board did not meet the treatment time guarantee and that there were significant delays in decisions on C’s treatment that were reached jointly with another board.

“We considered that the likelihood of delays should have been made clear to C to allow them the opportunity to properly consider all of the options available.

“We upheld C’s complaint about the treatment they had received.”

However, some elements of the patient’s complaints were not upheld by the public services watchdog.

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“C also complained about the board’s response to a complaint they submitted,” the report adds.

“We found that it was unreasonable that the board did not directly address some matters that C raised and upheld this aspect of C’s complaint.

“However, we considered it was reasonable that the board took a different position to C about what had been said at a particular consultation.

“C also complained about a subsequent response the board provided to them. We found that the board’s response was generally reasonable. Therefore, we did not uphold this aspect of C’s complaint.”

The health board was asked to apologise to C over the treatment they received.

The ombudsman recommended that patients should receive treatment within 62 days of the referral and within 31 days from the decision to treat, as per Scottish Government treatment time targets.

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It has also been advised that a mechanism should be in place to ensure patients are informed when delays to treatment are likely.

On the report, an NHS Borders spokesperson said: “The SPSO findings highlighted that some aspects of care that C received were unacceptable. We accepted the recommendations identified in full and have made the changes required so that similar experiences are avoided in the future.

“We are very sorry for the upset that our failings have caused C and have offered a full apology.”