Decision Report 201803350

Summary

Ms C complained about the care and treatment she received at the GP out-of-hours service at Gartnavel General Hospital when she attended with a rash and bruising on her legs. We took independent advice from a GP. We found that the examination carried out within the out-of-hours service was reasonable and it was reasonable that Ms C was referred to the Immediate Assessment Unit (IAU) rather than A&E. We did not uphold this aspect of Ms C's complaint.

Ms C also complained about the care and treatment she received within the IAU at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. We took independent advice from a consultant in acute medicine. While most of the care and treatment that Ms C received was appropriate, we found that it was unreasonable that Ms C was not assessed for signs of bleeding when an initial low platelet (cells that help blood clot) result became available. We upheld this aspect of Ms C's complaint.

Recommendations

What we asked the organisation to do in this case:

• Apologise to Ms C for the failure to carry out an assessment for signs of bleeding when the initial low platelet result became available. The apology should meet the standards set out in the SPSO guidelines on apology available at www.spso.org.uk/leaflets-and-guidance.

What we said should change to put things right in future:

• Patients with a low platelet count should be assessed for signs of bleeding.