Overview
The complainant (Mrs C) raised a number of concerns that her adult son (Mr A) had received inadequate treatment when he presented at the Accident and Emergency Department at Hairmyres Hospital (the Hospital) on the evening of 7 February 2010 and that it was inappropriate to discharge him from the Hospital. Mr A subsequently presented at the Hospital in the early hours of 8 February 2010 and died after an unsuccessful attempt to resuscitate him.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- (a) the treatment provided to Mr A at the Accident and Emergency Department at the Hospital on 7 February 2010 was inadequate (upheld); and
- (b) the decision to discharge Mr A from the Accident and Emergency Department at the Hospital on 7 February 2010 was inappropriate (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Board:
- (i) consider the Manchester Triage Scale in their review of ways to introduce an assessment method to establish the clinical needs of patients attending Accident and Emergency; and
- (ii) apologise to Mrs C that staff failed to stress the importance to Mr A of a hospital admission although he was keen to go home.
The Board have accepted the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.