NHS Borders has issued a ‘sincere’ apology after complaints over an elderly patient’s care and treatment in hospital were upheld.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) recently published its decision report on the matter.

The complainant – referred to as ‘C’ in the publication – was unhappy with the treatment their parent – ‘A’ – received from the health board while in hospital.

A spokesperson for the SPSO said: “C complained that the hospital failed to consider the relevant medical and practical considerations, particularly with respect to A’s medication and whether it may have contributed to delirium and the falls A suffered while in hospital.

“C also complained that the board had failed to adequately consult with family members when the decision was made to discharge A. C further complained that the board’s handling of their complaint was unreasonable.”

Upholding the complaints, the SPSO said it had taken advice from a consultant specialising in the care of the elderly.

“We found that C had raised legitimate concerns that the medication could contribute to delirium and the risk of falls,” said the spokesperson. “It appeared that the dose prescribed had changed on a number of occasions without a clear rationale recorded in the records and that the care provided with respect to prescribing and monitoring A’s medication fell below a reasonable standard. We therefore upheld this aspect of the complaint.

“We also identified a lack of detail in the pre-discharge assessment of A, and a lack of discussion with the family. We upheld this aspect of the complaint.

“Lastly, there were elements of C’s complaint that were not adequately or accurately addressed in the board’s complaint response and on this basis we upheld this aspect of C’s complaint.”

The SPSO asked NHS Borders to apologise for the “failings identified”.

It added that, where appropriate, the patient’s family should be included in discussions about discharge from hospital.

It also said that changes to medication should be accurately recorded in the patient’s medical records.

Dr Lynn McCallum, NHS Borders’ medical director, said: “We have accepted the recommendations identified by the SPSO and have implemented an improvement plan to avoid similar experiences from happening in the future.

“We are sincerely sorry for the effect that this event had on C and their family and issued them with an apology in July.”