Trust did not provide adequate care and treatment for an older person

What happened

Mrs V went into hospital with confusion. Staff diagnosed her with a low potassium level. Her breathing was poor and her condition deteriorated. Days later, ward staff noted that Mrs V usually took warfarin and gave her heparin. They transferred her to another ward and found she had a hospital‑acquired infection and dehydration. Doctors put Mrs V on a ventilator but she died soon afterwards. Mr V complained to us.

What we found

Doctors did not assess Mrs V adequately or recognise that she was frail and suffering from delirium. There was a delay in treating her severe hospital‑acquired infection and dehydration, and staff did not manage Mrs V's medicines appropriately.

Although we did not find that those failings caused Mrs V's death, they contributed to her progressive clinical deterioration. The knowledge that Mrs V received poor care has distressed Mr V.

Putting it right

The Trust acknowledged its failings and apologised to Mr V for the injustice these caused. It also paid him £1,000 compensation and agreed to prepare an action plan to make sure it learnt lessons from the complaint.