Overview
The complainants (Mr C and Mr D) raised a number of concerns about the care and treatment of their late mother (Mrs A) at Stirling Royal Infirmary (the Hospital) between 7 March and 21 March 2006.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that Forth Valley NHS Board (the Board):
- (a) failed to provide appropriate care and treatment to Mrs A (upheld); and
- (b) failed to adequately investigate Mr C's original complaint (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Board:
- (i) inform her of the progress of the recommendations in their Internal Review;
- (ii) apologise to Mrs A's family for the failures identified in this report and their Internal Review and the additional distress caused by the failure of their original investigation to identify and address these failures; and
- (iii) build more robust senior and independent review into the local resolution stage of the NHS Complaints Process to ensure complaints are addressed more comprehensively and review of complaints is built in to Clinical Governance to ensure lessons can be learned form complaints.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.