Family say their world has been turned 'upside down' by failings at NHS D&G

A family from Dumfries and Galloway say their lives have been turned upside down due to a number of failings made by staff in Ward 7 at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Matilda Shortt was rushed to Accident and Emergency in January 2015 after collapsing on the bathroom floor. When she arrived at DGRI she was admitted to Ward 7. Due to the fact that she had previously suffered a stroke, she was kept in for overnight observations.

Mrs Shortt was supposed to be monitored every two hours, so doctors could see whether her stroke-like symptoms were changing.

Her daughter, Claire Roberts, called the hospital in the morning to check how she was.

Mrs Roberts says this is when she started to question the care her mother had received on the night she was admitted.

She spent weeks going through her mum's notes and soon discovered some worrying facts.

Her mother was supposed to be on two-hourly observations, however, on closer inspection it transpired that a period of more than five hours had passed without Matilda having any checks.

This was despite the fact that staff had tended to Mrs Shortt when she came off her commode during the night and needed assistance getting back up.

Mrs Roberts decided to take her concerns to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. They took 12 months to come back with their response.

They upheld all three of her complaints and identified serious failings by staff on Ward 7.

Complaint one was regarding the lack of medical care provided to Matilda , including failing to administer a clot-busting injection or ask for guidance or second opinion from a specialist.

The second complaint was to do with her nursing care- after staff failed to monitor her appropriately or observe her every two hours.

Complaint three was regarding the way staff communicated with Claire- telling her that Matilda had had a comfortable night, when in actual fact she'd suffered a major stroke.

Matilda now has carers in three times a day, she has problems with her speech and says her independence has gone. She spent five months in hospital.

ITV Border approached the Board at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and asked a series of questions, including:

"Has anybody from Ward 7 been held responsible for the failings identified by the SPSO?

"What lessons have been learned?"

"How can you re-assure the public in Dumfries and Galloway that failings like these will not happen again?"

NHS D&G responded with the following statement:

The recommendations in the report include informing staff of the failings found and reviewing the way they monitor stroke patients. The family say they've no confidence left.

Matilda says that humour is what keeps her going. But that for herself and her family, no amount of sorrys or recommendations can give her back the life she once had.