Three senior members of hospital staff are being probed by a nursing watchdog over the death of an elderly patient. Eddie McCluskey, 88, died in agony at Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock after being given seven doses of a drug containing penicillin – to which he was allergic.
The medication caused his body to break out in a painful rash that his family said resembled third degree burns. Health chiefs told the family no staff member made the link between the rash and drug, but a Record probe last year found a nurse did make the connection but was overruled.
Last night, a spokeswoman for the family said: “Greater Glasgow amd Clyde Health Board called us in for a chat after the story appeared in the Record but basically everything we asked was ‘under investigation’ and they couldn’t discuss it. Now we hope we will get the truth.”
A Significant Incident Review after Eddie’s death graded the incident “extreme” but failed to mention a nurse had raised the possibility of a drug allergy after spotting a rash on his groin. Stephen McLaughlin, who raised the alarm, was the only one disciplined over the incident, even though he did not give the patient the medication and was initially praised for his actions.
McLaughlin alleged documents had been falsified against him and his attempts to call in the police after Eddie’s death were denied. He is still working under restricted practices. McLaughlin is not one of those under investigation. However, a probe into three managers has begun.
They are being investigated by the Nursery and Miwifery Council over issues including a failure to comply with a duty of candour with the family of a patient and for dishonesty by knowingly using falsified documents and/or giving false testimony.
Last night, McLaughlin said: “For five years I have repeatedly demanded the NHS be independently investigated for corruption and blocked at every turn.”
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde said it was unable to comment but would support the NMC investigation.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
