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Management of Patient Medication

Posted By Iscot

"Management of Patient Medication"

About: Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow / Accident & Emergency Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow / General medicine (Wards 5d)

(as a parent/guardian),

My brother was admitted to the immediate assessment unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. I personally handed his medication to the Nursing Team in the unit. He was subsequently transferred to the Acute receiving unit and then onto a ward. I arrived on the Ward and discovered that my brother's medication was missing and that he had not had his antipsychotic medication.

The staff on the Ward were professional and followed this up immediately. However, by this time my brother was in a distressed and confused state. He was experiencing auditory hallucinations and feelings of persecution. It is very upsetting to see your relative experiencing distress when this should never have happened. The fact that his medication has not been managed effectively has caused him harm and distress. I have expressed my concerns directly with the Ward team, and thanked them for following this up. However, the fact that patients medication can 'go missing' is unacceptable practice in my opinion.

Sadly, this has happened before. It has happened on at least two other separate occasions. I wonder where and when the organisational learning will take place.

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Responses

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 6 years ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 01/08/2017 at 08:58
Published on Care Opinion at 10:35

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Iscot

Thank you for taking the time to post on Care Opinion.

I am sorry to read that your brother had to be admitted into hospital and disappointed to read that your brother’s medication has went missing on two separate occasions. However, I am glad that you raised this with the staff on the ward and that they followed this up immediately.

We would like to look into what has happened in more detail, so that we can provide you and your brother with answers to the issues you have raised here. With your brother’s permission would you be able to email me your brother’s personal details including his date of birth? My email address is Nicole.McInally@ggc.scot.nhs.uk. Could you please quote the reference number: 384792?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Nicole

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Update posted by Iscot (a parent/guardian)

I contacted MS McInally on the 17th August by email. I am still waiting for a response.

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 6 years ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 25/08/2017 at 15:47
Published on Care Opinion on 28/08/2017 at 08:57

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Iscot

I have looked into the points you have raised and would like to first and foremost offer an apology for any upset this episode has caused you and your brother.

You are absolutely correct that the dossette box should have been available from arrival through this attendance. The fact that it was misplaced even for a short space of time is not acceptable.

I have taken the details of your experience to the unit involved to allow them to learn from the experience and understand that a seemingly small error of not transferring a dossette box can have a detrimental impact on a patient's level of care. Please accept my apology on behalf of the receiving team.

Regards

Gerry Wright, Lead Nurse –Emergency Care & Medical Services

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