Decision Report 201405645

Summary

Mrs C complained that Crosshouse Hospital did not take appropriate action on the signs and symptoms her late husband (Mr C) presented with at the A&E department on two occasions and at the out-patient ear nose and throat clinic. Mr C died a year later from heart disease.

We took independent advice from two medical advisers, one of whom is a consultant in emergency medicine, and the other a consultant in ear nose and throat conditions. The advice we received was that Mr C's symptoms were not characteristic of an underlying cardiac condition and that the care was reasonable in terms of the examinations, tests and treatment provided, so we did not uphold the complaint.