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Case ref:201200045
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Date:July 2012
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Body:Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board - Acute Services Division
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Upheld, action taken by body to remedy, no recommendations
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Subject:Communication, staff attitude, dignity, confidentiality
Summary
Mrs C, an advocacy worker, complained on behalf of her client (Mrs A) that hospital staff failed to adequately record and deal with a fall that Mrs A sustained in hospital. Mrs A said that staff had manhandled her, and had thrown her onto a bed, and that she was then denied medical treatment.
After consulting our medical adviser, we found that staff had not acted in accordance with moving and handling guidance and that they failed to appropriately record the circumstances of Mrs A's fall. We found, however, that staff were acting in Mrs A's best interests at the time by putting her back to bed rather than lowering her to the floor and obtaining a hoist which may have taken some time. We saw no evidence that Mrs A's safety was compromised by these actions. As the board had already taken action to prevent a repeat occurrence, we did not make any recommendations.