Miss O complained about the overall care and treatment her mother, Mrs N, received following her admission to the Grange Hospital on 10 August 2021. Miss O was especially unhappy at the staff’s lack of knowledge about her mother’s Good’s syndrome, the lack of communication between staff and her family about her mother’s condition/prospects, the decision to withdraw treatment when her mother was not dying and the lack of palliative care involvement at the end of her mother’s life.
The Ombudsman’s investigation found that whilst Good’s syndrome is rare, clinicians looking after Mrs N had a basic knowledge of the condition and sought advice from a more specialist team at the appropriate time. The Ombudsman also found that communication with Mrs N’s family was, overall, appropriate and her condition/prospects were communicated to her family on more than one occasion.
The Ombudsman also found that treatment was withdrawn at the most appropriate time and Mrs N received care from the Palliative Care Team at the correct time.
The Ombudsman did not uphold Miss O’s complaint.