Trusts have been reminded to ask patients and their carers about time critical medicines when they are seen in emergency departments after an 85 year old patient died in hospital several weeks after failing to receive his Parkinson’s medication.
The report1 by the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) found that during a three day stay in an emergency department, the patient should have had 18 doses of Parkinson’s medication, but only eight were provided to him on time. Seven doses were not given at all, and three doses were given late.
The patient was transferred to a ward where his Parkinson’s symptoms deteriorated and he lost the ability to swallow. He died four weeks after admission to …
