Family win fight for reimbursement

A family in Scotland who remortgaged their home in order to pay for their son’s essential dental treatment have won the case to have their money returned by NHS Grampian.

Kyle Smith had been on the NHS waiting list for four years as his top jaw protruded over the lower jaw. Due to the NHS delays his parents felt they had no choice but to remortgage their home in Ellon, Aberdeenshire to cover the £2,700 cost of private treatment for their son.

A complaint was made against NHS Grampian for failing to provide orthodontic treatment in a timely manner. The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) upheld the complaint leading to NHS Grampian agreeing to reimburse the Smith family for costs incurred.

A spokesman from NHS Grampian said: “In our apology we expressed disappointment that our service was not up to its usual standard. A review of our waiting list policy is being carried out in light of the recommendations."

The spokesman explained that two of the three orthodontic consultant posts in the area became vacant in 2002, leading to a backlog of patients. He explained that measures were put in place, with new consultants now in place to address the backlog.