Apology after NHS Tayside missed stroke

NHS Tayside was ordered to apologise to a patient who was sent home from hospital despite suffering a stroke.

The patient awoke from an unrelated procedure at Ninewells Hospital when they complained of common stroke symptoms.

But despite the painful tingling sensation in their mouth, left hand and foot, medics found “no clinical concerns” according to a watchdog report.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has ruled the assessment was “insufficient” and put the health of the patient, identified only as ‘C’, at risk.

The ruling stated: “We found that, whilst staff identified that C’s symptoms indicated they may have had a stroke and an assessment was carried out with this in mind, the assessment was insufficiently detailed and, in light of C’s presenting symptoms, further investigation by a neurologist should have been arranged.”

After being sent home from the gastroenterology ward, the person’s symptoms persisted and they attended an emergency GP appointment the following morning.

The GP concluded that C had suffered a stroke and they were readmitted to hospital immediately for further investigations.

A further CT scan on arrival confirmed the condition.

The watchdog, which investigates complaints about public bodies in Scotland, says staff should be better trained.

The report added: “Clinical staff involved should reflect on C’s case and give consideration as to where improvements could be made in their practice to ensure that symptoms of stroke are adequately investigated as soon as possible, and input from stroke specialists is obtained in clinically appropriate cases.

An NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “We are sorry that treatment and care in this case fell below the standard we would expect.

“We have apologised to the patient and a plan is in place to action the recommendations.”

A STUDENT held a knife to her flatmate’s face as an evening of drinking went wrong.

Maya Andow, 21, had been enjoying time with her flatmates at her Meadowside Halls accommodation on Bell Street in March this year.

The party continued into the early hours of the morning of Thursday March 10, when her friends became concerned she had taken too much alcohol.

They entered the kitchen, where Andow became aggressive, taking a large kitchen knife out of the drawer.

After some time trying to convince her to hand the knife over, she put the blade to the face of one male flatmate.

As she admitted to what she had done in court before Sheriff Alison Michie, she started shouting from the dock she was “panicky”, having originally been accused of laughing and was brought a glass of water.

Depute fiscal Lucy Scarborough told Dundee Sheriff Court: “At around 4am on the morning of