Overview
The complainant (Mr C) raised a number of concerns that his wife (Mrs C) was misdiagnosed during two admissions at Hairmyres Hospital (the Hospital) in 2004, that she was afforded poor clinical and nutritional care at the Hospital during admissions in 2004 and 2005, that record-keeping and communication between staff in relation to Mrs C's care was poor and that Lanarkshire NHS Board (the Board) did not take appropriate action as a result of Mrs C's experiences and Mr C's subsequent complaints.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
(a) Mrs C was misdiagnosed during two admissions at the Hospital (not upheld);
(b) Mrs C was afforded poor clinical and nursing care at the Hospital (partially upheld to the extent that Mrs C should have been advised on 6 October 2004 that it was unlikely that the promised visit by the surgical team would be able to be made);
(c) Mrs C was not given appropriate nutritional care at the Hospital (not upheld);
(d) the Hospital's record-keeping in relation to Mrs C was poor (not upheld);
(e) communication between the Hospital's staff in relation to Mrs C was poor (partially upheld to the extent that the prioritisation of Mrs C's endoscopy was not adequate following the observations made during her second admission); and
(f) the Board did not take appropriate action as a result of Mrs C's experience and Mr C's subsequent complaints (not upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Board:
(i) apologise to Mr C that Mrs C was not advised timeously that it was unlikely that the visit by the surgical team would be able to be made;
(ii) remind staff of the importance of keeping patients informed in these circumstances;
(iii) apologise to Mr C for the insufficient urgency attached to the request for Mrs C's endoscopy; and
(iv) audit their referral process to satisfy themselves that the urgency of a referral is clear at all times.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.