Decision Report 201600041

Summary

Mr C complained on behalf of his constituent (Ms B) who had concerns about the treatment her mother (Mrs A) received at the New Victoria Hospital. Ms B had taken her mother to the hospital after suffering a head wound which would not stop bleeding. Staff at the hospital felt that Mrs A required treatment at the A&E department at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and requested an urgent ambulance. There was a 90 minute delay in the arrival of the ambulance and Ms B felt that staff should have stressed the urgency of the situation or provided additional treatment while waiting for the ambulance.

We obtained independent nursing advice which stated that the staff had appropriately assessed that Mrs A required transfer to the A&E department, kept her under observation during the wait for the ambulance and made a further attempt to establish when the ambulance would arrive. However, had the situation deteriorated then there was no indication of what action the staff would have taken and we have asked the board to provide Ms B with explanations which may have given her some reassurance. We did not uphold the complaint.