Overview
The complainant (Mrs C) alleged that the care and treatment given to her at St John's Hospital at Howden (the Hospital) during her admission of 18 to 21 November 2011 were below a reasonable standard.
Specific complaint and conclusion
The complaint which has been investigated is that the care and treatment given to Mrs C at the Hospital during her admission of 18 to 21 November 2011 were below a reasonable standard (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that Lothian NHS Board (the Board):
- (i) formally apologise to Mrs C for all their failures in the provision of care and treatment to her during the period between 18 and 21 November 2011;
- (ii) satisfy themselves that proper reflection (see paragraph 20) is carried out by the staff concerned;
- (iii) review their process of written and electronic note taking to ensure that the 'story' of an untoward, unusual or exceptional event is clearly recorded and that steps taken to mitigate the situation are highlighted; and
- (iv) take steps to ensure that missed vital signs observations and missed medication administration are alerted appropriately.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.