Decision Report 201507564

Summary

Ms C, an advice and support worker, complained on behalf of Ms A. Ms A had developed mobility problems and, after an episode of severe dizziness, was admitted to Hairmyres Hospital and discharged a week later. She then attended the movement disorder clinic for further tests and investigations.

Two months later, Ms A was readmitted to Hairmyres Hospital before being discharged the following week. She was referred to community physiotherapy and visited by them on a number of occasions. She was then referred to out-patient physiotherapy.

Ms C said that had Ms A been allowed to stay as an in-patient for longer and been provided with sufficient support and treatment (as both an in-patient and out-patient), she would have recovered her ability to walk.

We took independent advice from specialists in physiotherapy and in care of the elderly. We found that the standard of physiotherapy provided during both Ms A's admissions to hospital was reasonable, and that the follow-up care was reasonably provided for the second admission. However, there was an unreasonable failure to refer her for appropriate physiotherapy services when she was first discharged from hospital. We found that while the decision to discharge her was reasonable, there were failings in the discharge planning in relation to the provision of physiotherapy in the community. We also were satisfied that the decision to discharge Ms A from her second admission to hospital was reasonable.

Recommendations

We recommended that the board:

• take steps to ensure that all in-patients receiving physiotherapy are appropriately reviewed by the service and, where appropriate, referred for community physiotherapy prior to discharge home;
• bring the failings identified to the attention of the relevant physiotherapy and medical staff involved; and
• apologise for the failings identified.