Geriatric Care
Geriatric care is a speciality that involves providing medical care to aged individuals, whether it's in a hospital ward or a nursing home.
The Healthcare Commission, which regulates hospitals, has gathered evidence that in some geriatric wards a culture of neglect has built up, leading to inadequate care for patients. This includes instances of leaving patients lying for hours in soiled sheets, not allowing them to visit the toilet and not helping them to eat, meaning basic standards of dignity, privacy and care are being compromised.
These are clear and unacceptable breaches in the quality and standard of care for older people. Nursing home residents and the elderly are vulnerable citizens and need safeguarding.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) published essential standards of quality and safety in October 2010, which have now been legally adopted. Whilst the standard of care that the elderly receive in the majority of geriatric NHS wards and nursing homes is of a high standard and adheres to these CQC standards, there are exceptions. The standard of care received can fall below these essential standards and practices. This can lead to critical errors, unacceptable standards of care, neglect and abuse.
Here are some examples of what may happen when standards fall below acceptable standard:
- Physical, mental or sexual abuse
- Drug errors, or drugs not actually being administered by staff, or swallowed by the patient, which could lead to a deterioration in their medical condition
- Malnutrition, due to a poor diet, no help with feeding and no records of dietary intake
- Dehydration, where a patient is not given enough drinks and no fluid balance chart is completed
- Aspiration, when a patient is not able to swallow properly, is in an inappropriate position when given a drink, or the feeding tube has been placed into the lungs instead of the stomach by mistake
- Failure to make a full nursing assessment and implement a proper care plan based upon that assessment
- Pressure sores, due to not completing regular Waterlow scores, a failure to provide appropriate pressure relieving mattresses, or completing a turns chart and documentation of any pressure sores, in accordance to the NICE guidelines
- Falls, leading to fractures and head injuries, due to poor risk assessments and inappropriate action being taken to safeguard the patient
- Anxiety/depression
- Blood clots, particularly in the legs, due to lack of mobility
An insufficient number of suitably qualified nurses on duty is often the main cause of decline in standards of care and neglect in nursing homes. One of the first things a nursing home neglect solicitor will investigate is whether there were adequate numbers of staff, with the relevant experience, skills and knowledge available, to ensure that each resident was receiving adequate care and attention.
Parliament has received reports alleging that thousands of elderly people in the UK are living in nursing homes that lack sufficient staff for providing quality care. These reports further allege that a very large percentage of nursing home residents are malnourished or dehydrated because no one helps them eat and drink regularly, see www.cqc.org.uk
If you are worried about the standard of care that a loved one is receiving, or if you believe they have already suffered as a result of poor care, you may have a claim for geriatric care negligence.
Please contact us now to discuss your concerns with our in-house registered nurse, who will take your initial details, talk you through your options to help rectify the situation and refer any valid claims to a solicitor who specialises in geriatric care claims.
Whilst an award of damages by a court of law cannot negate the pain and suffering experienced by a victim of nursing home neglect or geriatric abuse, it can help the victim feel a restored sense of dignity and the financial award can make life a little more comfortable in the future.
