Summary
Mr C complained about the care and treatment provided to his late wife (Mrs A) when she was a patient at Inverclyde Royal Hospital. Mrs A suffered from vascular dementia (a type of dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain) and was admitted to hospital for further assessment when she became confused, possibly due to a urine infection. Mrs A's condition deteriorated and she died two weeks after being admitted to hospital. Mr C said that she was not given appropriate medication within a reasonable time and that staff failed to communicate with him in a reasonable way.
We took independent medical advice from an adviser who specialises in general medicine. We found that the board provided a reasonable standard of care and treatment and that Mrs A's deterioration was recognised in a reasonable time and treated appropriately. We also found evidence that healthcare professionals had discussed Mrs A's condition with Mr C. We did not uphold the complaint.
Related reading
View Decision Report 201604623 as a PDF (11.09 KB) Updated: March 13, 2018