Excruciating wait

An inmate had been waiting for months to have a wisdom tooth extracted and was in severe pain, to the point where he had fainted and had to be sent to hospital.

An inmate had been waiting for months to have a wisdom tooth extracted and was in severe pain, to the point where he had fainted and had to be sent to hospital.

Ombudsman staff contacted the facility, but were unable to resolve the issue until it was escalated to a senior manager at the Ministry. The inmate had been complaining of pain for six months. The dentist had completed the necessary paperwork four months earlier, but staff failed to follow up with the proper approvals for surgical consultation. The inmate also hadn’t been properly assessed for pain management, and was not getting painkillers, despite fainting from the pain.

After our Office intervened, the surgery was scheduled and the inmate was immediately provided with antibiotics, painkillers, and a soft diet. His tooth was successfully extracted within a few weeks.