Health ombudsman on older people's rights

Hospital breached OAP's human rights after giving her injection

Ombudsman’s comment: In one of the investigations laid today, I take the unusual step of making a comment within the report itself. I quote it in full here in order to draw attention to my findings and to underline their significance for all Health Boards.

In report 200902396, I say: ‘It is important that this case and my conclusions on it are correctly understood. There is no dispute about the facts of the case. In a nutshell, a distressed woman was injected with antipsychotic drugs by hospital staff against her will. There is no documentation to show that this action was properly assessed in advance, or properly recorded after the event. In upholding the complaint, however, I wish to make clear that the complaint was not about restraint, but about consent. I accept that there are times when restraint is justified. What is unacceptable is for health practitioners not to show proper understanding of the legislation and policies that exist to ensure that patients' human rights are not breached. I believe that in this case they were.