Mr D was admitted to Morriston Hospital with declining health in November 2021. Concerns included a slow heart rate, raised inflammatory markers, and his kidneys were not working properly. Mr D had a prosthetic heart valve fitted in 2011 and it was suspected by the Cardiology Team that blood was leaking from around his prosthetic valve. Mr D stayed in hospital undergoing treatment which included a course of antibiotics which was given for 6 weeks. Doctors had decided by the week leading up to Christmas that Mr D was fit for discharge and therefore he was discharged home on 24 December. Sadly Mr D died later that day.. The Ombudsman investigated whether the management of Mr D’s discharge had been reasonable; in particular, whether the decision to withdraw antibiotic treatment and not to request a review from the Palliative Care Team at discharge had been appropriate.
The Ombudsman found that it was appropriate to consider palliative care when Mr D was first admitted because he was seriously unwell. However, he completed a clinically appropriate course of treatment in the Hospital, for a time period that was in line with relevant guidelines. Although his antibiotic treatment could have been extended, Mr D had responded positively to that treatment and was stable before he was discharged. There was no indication that a palliative care review should have been undertaken, given Mr D’s improvement. The complaint was not upheld