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Case ref:201910514
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Date:March 2022
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Body:A Medical Practice in the Lothian NHS Board area
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:Clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
C complained about care and treatment provided to their parent (A) by a duty general practitioner (GP) at the practice.
C contacted a community nurse team to raise concerns that A's catheter was draining slowly and that there was blood in their urine bag.
A nurse visited A at their home later the same day. They changed A's catheter bag and provided advice. After they had left A's home, the nurse discussed their actions with the GP. The GP agreed with the nurse's actions and their assessment of A.
Later that evening A's catheter blocked. A was subsequently admitted to hospital and diagnosed with urosepsis (a serious infection of the urinary tract). A subsequently died in hospital.
C complained that the GP had failed to visit A despite being provided with information indicating that they had a serious infection. C also complained that the GP failed to provide A with medical treatment.
We took independent advice from a GP. We found that the GP acted reasonably and noted that they were not provided with information indicating that A had a serious infection. We found that the GP’s agreement with the treatment and advice provided by the nurse was reasonable in light of the information available to them at the relevant time. We did not uphold C’s complaints.