NHS Tayside apologises to patient after stroke

NHS Tayside has apologised to a woman after she suffered a stroke.

The health board was issued with a formal recommendation by t he Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) after a complaint was raised by the husband of a woman, named only as Mrs A, surrounding the care provided to her.

Mrs A was referred to the cardiology department at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee by her GP because of drop attacks, described as sudden episodes of collapse.

For the next 18 months following her referral, Mrs A attended consultations at the department and investigations into her symptoms were carried out.

During this period, Mrs A, while waiting for a cardiac event monitor to be fitted, suffered a stroke.

She was admitted to hospital for treatment. Tests indicated Mrs A was in atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.

Her husband complained that the board had failed to provide his wife with appropriate treatment.

The SPSO said in its report: “We took independent advice from a consultant cardiologist.

“We found that the board managed Mrs A’s condition appropriately, with the exception of the way they handled a referral from her GP approximately five months prior to the date of the stroke.

“We found that this referral described a change in Mrs A’s symptoms and their pattern and the adviser said that the referral should have been considered more promptly and carefully by the cardiologist.

“The adviser said that further tests could have been considered and that, had these been carried out promptly, atrial fibrillation might have been diagnosed sooner.

“The adviser said that if atrial fibrillation was diagnosed, then medication would have been started and the likelihood of the subsequent stroke would have reduced.”

The SPSO ruled the heath board should to apologise to Mrs A.

It further recommended that waiting times for routine investigations be minimised and for staff to carefully assess referrals.

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “We have apologised to the patient and have taken action to address the recommendations in the report.”