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Case ref:202311847
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Date:June 2026
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Body:Borders NHS Board
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:Diagnosis
Summary
C complained about the care and treatment provided to their late spouse (A) by the board. A, who suffered from Polycythaemia Rubra Vera (PV, a blood cancer), died in hospital. At the time of their admission they were seen to be suffering from anaemia, likely as a side effect of their PV medication.
Following a post-mortem, a pathologist noted that A had developed sepsis due to a bacterial infection and that A’s PV had progressed into leukaemia. C complained that the leukaemia was not diagnosed prior to A’s death, and questioned whether the care and treatment provided to A had been reasonable.
We took independent advice from two appropriately qualified advisers: a haematologist (specialist in blood disorders) and a consultant geriatrician (specialist in medicine of the elderly).
We found that from a haematology perspective, A’s care and treatment was reasonable. Appropriate blood tests had been undertaken and A had received appropriate treatment for anaemia. It did not appear that a transformation from PV to leukaemia had been missed.
From a general medical perspective, we found that the approach taken to diagnosis, and the treatment plan provided were also reasonable, and that appropriate care was provided in response to A developing sepsis. Overall, we did not consider that A’s medical care and treatment had been unreasonable. Therefore, we did not uphold C’s complaint.