Decision Report 202209504

Summary

C, a support and advocacy worker, complained that the board failed to provide reasonable nursing care and treatment to their client (A).Specifically, they had concerns that while A was a patient in hospital, there was an unreasonable lack of attention, poor attitude from nursing staff and unreasonable nursing care. C was also unhappy about the board’s complaint handling.

We took independent advice on this complaint from a nursing adviser. We found that the board’s nursing documentation was a poor standard, not in line with guidance and was in breach of the Nursing and Midwifery Council: The Code requirements. We also found that board’s lack of documentation had led to the board being unable to evidence that care was carried out to a reasonable standard. Lastly, we found that the board unreasonably failed to respond accurately to the complaint. We therefore upheld these complaints.

Recommendations

What we asked the organisation to do in this case:

• Apologise to A for breaching the NMC Code requirements. The apology should meet the standards set out in the SPSO guidelines on apology available at www.spso.org.uk/information-leaflets.
• Apologise to A for the failings around poor person centred care planning and poor record keeping. The apology should meet the standards set out in the SPSO guidelines on apology available at www.spso.org.uk/information-leaflets.

In relation to complaints handling, we recommended:

• Complaint responses should consider and respond fully and accurately to the issues raised in accordance with The Model Complaints Handling Procedure. They should take into account any relevant national or local guidance in both the investigation and response, and identify and action learning. Complainants should also be kept updated on their complaints in line with the Model Complaints Handling Procedure. Learning from complaints and the learning should be shared throughout the organisation so that actions and improvements can be implemented to prevent the same issues happening again.

We have asked the organisation to provide us with evidence that they have implemented the recommendations we have made on this case by the deadline we set.