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Case ref:201401819
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Date:October 2014
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Body:Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Mrs C complained that when her father (Mr A) attended the out-of-hours (OOH) service with abdominal (stomach) pain, he was seen by a GP who failed to take into account his previous medical history and diagnosed Mr A as suffering from indigestion. Mr A felt the same for the next two days and then suddenly deteriorated and an ambulance was called. He was admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of septicemia (blood poisoning) and pneumonia. Mr A died two weeks later.
The board maintained that the GP from the OOH service carried out an appropriate assessment. We took independent advice from one of our medical advisers, and we found that the OOH service GP had put himself in a position where he was aware of Mr A's medical history, that appropriate assessment and treatment were provided for the symptoms which were reported, and that there was no evidence that a hospital admission was required at that time.