Decision Report 201502798

Summary

Mrs C complained after her mother (Mrs A) suffered a fall in Hairmyres Hospital. Mrs A suffered from dementia and was unsteady on her feet. Mrs C said the board had not done enough to prevent her mother's fall.

We took independent advice from a nursing adviser. The adviser found that the board had carried out appropriate assessments and were monitoring Mrs A's mobility. The adviser explained that staff had to balance trying to encourage Mrs A to be independent (with a view to getting her home) with the need to ensure her safety. The adviser was satisfied that the board had done all they reasonably could to mitigate the risk of Mrs A having a fall, recognising that they cannot eliminate the possibility altogether. For this reason, we did not uphold the complaint.