Decision Report 201305249

Summary

Mr C, who is an advocate, complained to us on behalf of his client (Ms A) that the board had failed to provide her daughter (Miss B) with appropriate clinical treatment when she was admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with chest pain and other symptoms. We took independent advice on this complaint from one of our medical advisers. Although the board had been unable to provide an explanation for Miss B's symptoms, we found that they had appropriately assessed her chest pain and that she had been appropriately investigated. The medical records also indicated that there had been a reasonable and appropriate attempt to provide her with pain relief. No abnormal cardiac rhythms were found when tests were carried out and there was no evidence that a treadmill test that she had was not carried out or recorded properly. Staff also appropriately involved the relevant specialists in relation to Miss B's earache and hearing problems. We found that the care and treatment provided was reasonable in view of the symptoms that she presented with and we did not uphold the complaint.

Mr C also complained that staff had failed to provide Miss B with an adequate level of occupational and physiotherapy treatment. We found, however, that the assessment and ongoing physiotherapy treatment provided was reasonable and in line with her care plan. We did not uphold this aspect of the complaint.

Finally, Mr C complained that staff failed to communicate adequately with Ms A about her daughter's condition and treatment. We did not uphold this complaint, as we found that they had communicated adequately with Ms A.