Hawke's Bay Hospital failed to give prisoner regular medication during stay

Hawke's Bay District Health Board failed to give a prisoner patient his regular medications while in hospital, report finds. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay Hospital staff failed to give a prisoner patient his regular medication while he stayed.

In a report released by Health and Disability Commissioner Anthony Hill on Monday, Hawke's Bay District Health Board was found in breach of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.

The man, who had been transferred to hospital from prison after suffering severe flank pain in November 2018, was taking regular medication to treat his high blood pressure and depression.

The man was transferred from the Emergency Department (ED) to the General Surgery ward, but his regular medications were not charted upon admission.

It was not until the man was discharged from hospital on November 20 that it was discovered his regular medications hadn't been charted or administered at all during his time in hospital.

By not charting or giving the man medications, the HBDHB failed to provide him with appropriate care and was in breach of the code, according to Hill.

Hill said the man was put at "unnecessary risk" and that the failures by the DHB were the result of "several systemic issues".

The issues included a lack of clarity about which team was responsible for charting patients' regular medications.

HBDHB chief medical officer Robin Whyman said the DHB had employed an extra surgical registrar to help in the Emergency Department during peak patient demand periods since the incident, among other medication safeguards.

A new form has also been introduced in the surgical team to prevent medication errors, while the team highlights this case as part of its staff training, he said.

Hill recommended that the HBDHB develop a formal checklist and action plan, as well as apologise in writing to the man.

Whyman also said the DHB will follow the other recommendations.