Decision Report 201606368

Summary

Mrs C complained that her late mother (Mrs A)'s medical practice did not take urgent action and advise Mrs A to attend hospital after she reported symptoms related to deep vein thrombosis (DVT, a blood clot). Mrs A collapsed at the entrance of the main health centre at the practice and was taken to hospital. She died shortly after of a pulmonary embolus (a blockage of an artery in the lungs), which is a side effect of DVT. Mrs C was also unhappy that the medical practice had not told her about the incident.

We took independent medical advice and found that the practice acted reasonably in advising Mrs A to attend the practice for assessment rather than going immediately to her local emergency department. We considered that the practice provided a timely appointment for Mrs A to be reviewed. In addition, we considered it was reasonable that practice staff had not contacted Mrs C regarding the incident because Mrs A had collapsed outwith the premises of the medical practice and staff there were unaware of what had happened. In view of these findings, we did not uphold the complaint.