The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Blood clot death NHS Fife complaint upheld.
Procedures reviewed after man suffered post-surgical blood clot
NHS Fife has reviewed its procedures after a patient died from a blood clot in his lungs following surgery.
The man’s widow went to the Scottish Ombudsman after her husband’s death and her complaint has been upheld.
He was discharged from Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy following minor surgery and died of a blood clot two weeks later.
The woman, referred to as Mrs C in the inquiry, complained about the aftercare provided to her husband.
She was concerned that he should have been kept in overnight as he was not breathing properly.
The ombudsman discovered the risk assessment paperwork had not been properly filled in.
“If it had been, it would have shown that Mr A had a number of risk factors for blood clots,” the appraisal said. If the right procedures had been followed, staff could have considered a variety of preventative measures – but the ombudsman noted that these measures might not have changed the eventual outcome.
The report said the decision not to keep the patient in hospital overnight had been a reasonable one.
However, the ombudsman concluded that the aftercare had been unreasonable and upheld the complaint.
NHS Fife chief executive Paul Hawkins said: “I would like to express my deepest sympathies for Mrs C following the death of her husband.
“We note the recommendations made by the ombudsman and we have enacted a series of measures to ensure more comprehensive risk management and documentation.”