Overview
The complainant (Mrs C) complained about the care her late husband (Mr C) received in Ayrshire Central Hospital (the Hospital). In particular, she was concerned about the rapid deterioration in Mr C's condition during his stay.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- (a) the care Mr C received was unsatisfactory (upheld);
- (b) communication from senior medical staff was inadequate (not upheld); and
- (c) the follow-up to Mrs C's complaint was poorly handled (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board:
- (i) undertake training in the recognition of acute physical illness in patients on mental health wards using a well-recognised scoring system such as MEWS (medical early warning score);
- (ii) apologise to Mrs C for the failings in the care of Mr C identified in this report;
- (iii) apologise to Mrs C for failing to provide an explanation for the deterioration in Mr C's physical health during his stay in the Hospital; and
- (iv) take steps to ensure that the findings of critical incident reviews are fully incorporated in their responses to complainants.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.