Overview
The complainants (Mr and Mrs C) raised a number of concerns about the care and treatment provided to their late son, Mr A, when he attended the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Mr and Mrs C also complained that staff unreasonably failed to admit Mr A for further assessment, and that the handling of their subsequent complaint was inadequate.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- Lothian NHS Board (the Board) provided inadequate care and treatment to Mr A in A&E (upheld);
- the Board unreasonably failed to admit Mr A pending further assessment (not upheld); and
- the Board’s handling of Mr and Mrs C's complaint was inadequate (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Board:
- consult urgently with all relevant stakeholders to formulate an appropriate protocol for dealing with patients who attend A&E with substance misuse and co-morbid mental health illness;
- ensure that all staff dealing with complaints are reminded of the importance of keeping complainants informed and updated during the complaints process; and
- issue a written apology to Mr and Mrs C for the failings identified in this report.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.