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Hospital in Lanarkshire failed to provide diabetic patients with enough food and drink before they died

Harry November 7, 2024

The medical board has been instructed to apologize to the family of a diabetic patient who was unable to get enough food and drink before he died.

The patient’s child complained that NHS Lanarkshire failed to provide reasonable care for his parents, who had diabetes, before he died.

The patient, who was living independently, fell and injured his knee and was taken to the hospital.

Following the surgery, it was determined that the staff was unable to provide adequate food, drink or antibiotics in a timely manner.

After the patient died in hospital, his family voiced complaints about the end-of-life care they received and the delay in issuing the death certificate.

An investigation by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), which took advice from a consultant doctor and a senior registered nurse, confirmed the complaints made by the patient’s child.

The watchdog found that the patient’s medical and nursing care following his surgery fell below a reasonable standard.

NHS Lanarkshire has been ordered to apologize.

SPSO also stated that the patient’s end-of-life nursing care fell below a reasonable standard, but that medical care was adequate.

The watchdog instructed the medical board to take measures such as documenting end-of-life care plans and ensuring patients receive appropriate nursing care, including monitoring proper nutrition and hydration.

He added that staff caring for a patient with diabetes must be “competent in monitoring and appropriately recording blood sugar results and taking any precautions to address low or high blood sugar.”

The report also said there was an “unreasonable” delay in providing the death certificate.

NHS Lanarkshire has been contacted for comment.