The Mental Welfare Society has condemned the inadequate treatment of a 71-year-old patient who died in 2020, as detailed in the 2024 Ombudsman’s report.
The report described how the patient, who had complex physical and mental health issues, endured subpar care at both St Bernard’s Hospital and Ocean Views – with the exception of the “impeccable” treatment she received in the ICU.
The patient, who was diabetic, is said to have suffered around 200 hypoglycaemic episodes over as many nights, exacerbating her mental health issues and posing a life-threatening risk.
Among several complaints, there is an occasion outlined in which the patient had her walking stick confiscated during an episode of crisis, as she had attempted to hit out with it. She was not provided with an alternative or a zimmer frame, and then slipped and broke her leg when she attempted to go to the bathroom, while unattended.
The Ombudsman’s report notes that the patient had complained to her family of waking up early with with breathing difficulties and low blood sugar, saying that staff would not attend to her when she called. It states that on the night she died, she reported breathing difficulties at 3:45 a.m., but a doctor was only contacted at 5:50 a.m. to certify her death.
The Ombudsman’s report states that, as per GHA notes, at 5:30am, paramedics found her with no pulse and not breathing.
She died without any relatives around her, as they were not contacted by the GHA until after she passed away, a fact which still weighs heavily on her family.
The report outlines that the patient’s family was not involved in a sudden residential transfer, and the patient’s mental health needs, mobility risks, and dietary requirements were neglected, including receiving non-diabetic desserts.
The Mental Welfare Society welcomes the Ombudsman’s recommendations and says it hopes the new care model will prevent such disgraceful treatment of patients in the future.
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