Overview
On 2 February 2010, I received a complaint from the complainant (Ms C) against Lothian NHS Board (the Board). The complaint concerned the care and treatment her grandfather (Mr A) received in the Maple Villa Care Home, Livingston (the Care Home) prior to his death. Mr A suffered from Alzheimer's disease and the Care Home is a specialist dementia unit catering for patients with particularly challenging aspects of that condition. Mr A resided there from 2004 until July 2009. On 24 July 2009 he was admitted to St John's Hospital, Livingston, where he died three days later. Ms C said that on his admission he was severely dehydrated, had a urinary tract infection and bedsores.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that the Board failed to:
- (a) provide Mr A with proper nutrition (upheld);
- (b) provide Mr A with general personal care (upheld);
- (c) take action to prevent bedsores (not upheld);
- (d) provide any form of stimulus to Mr A as a patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease (upheld); and,
- (e) communicate adequately with the family (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Board:
- (i) make a written apology to Ms C for their failures with regard to Mr A and for the misinformation given;
- (ii) emphasise to staff in the Care Home the necessity of following adopted procedures and the proper completion of standardised forms;
- (iii) monitor procedures in the Care Home for a period of four months;
- (iv) provide evidence to the Ombudsman of the range of structured recreational or diversional activity now available to residents in the Care Home and emphasise to staff the importance of such;
- (v) emphasise to their staff the benefit to all parties of clear communication; and
- (vi) ensure that, on each new admission, the Care Home take steps to discuss and record the level and means of communication required with families; and provide evidence to the Ombudsman that this is happening.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.