A GP Practice provided reasonable care and treatment to an older patient with dementia. However, the Local Area Team's response to the complaint failed to adequately address concerns the patient's wife raised.
What happened
Mr P suffered from Lewy bodies dementia, a type of dementia. As his condition deteriorated, Mr P was moved to a residential care home in a different county where he was under the care of a local GP.
Mr P's wife was concerned that during Mr P's stay at the care home, he had lost weight, suffered recurrent urine infections and developed pressure sores. Mrs P asked for him to be referred to mental health and geriatric specialists. Sadly, Mr P died of a pulmonary embolism before he could be seen by a geriatrician.
Mrs P complained to the Local Area Team in autumn 2012. During the course of its investigation the Local Area Team referred the case for an independent GP review. This was completed at the end of 2012.
In spring 2013 the Local Area Team wrote to Mrs P with its formal response. She complained to us that this failed to satisfactorily address her concerns about the GP's care of her husband, and that her requests for him to be seen by a specialist were not taken seriously or acted upon in good time.
What we found
The care and treatment the GP provided was reasonable. However, the Area Team's response to the complaint did not properly address Mrs P's concerns. This caused Mrs P further frustration which had not been remedied.
Putting it right
The Area Team apologised to Mrs P for failing to address her concern about the lack of specialist involvement from a geriatrician.
Hertfordshire and The South Midlands Area Team
Hertfordshire
Did not involve complainant adequately in the process
Apology