Mr H said doctors at the Trust did not treat his father, Mr J, appropriately when he was a patient there. Mr H said that poor assessment and inappropriate discharge arrangements contributed to his father's death. He said that if his father had remained in an acute hospital he might not have died.
What happened
Mr J went to a community hospital because of a chest infection. Staff there thought his condition was so severe that they sent him to the Trust. After less than 24 hours doctors felt that his condition was stable enough for him to return to the community hospital and they discharged him.
However, nurses at the community hospital noted that the level of oxygen in Mr J's blood was low and arranged for him to return to the Trust. Doctors assessed him and moved him to the medical assessment unit. A doctor met members of Mr J's family to explain that his health was deteriorating because of pneumonia and respiratory failure. The doctor explained that, because of his medical history, there would be no attempts to resuscitate if he collapsed. In the following days Mr J's health worsened and he died.
Mr H complained that his father might not have died if he had stayed at the Trust.
What we found
We did not uphold this complaint. We found that doctors at the Trust followed the appropriate standards when they assessed Mr H senior and decided that he was fit to be discharged.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Doncaster