Concerned Your Elderly Relative Was Given Unprescribed Medication or Over-Sedated in Jura Ward at New Stobhill Hospital?
Thompsons Solicitors Scotland is representing families of people who were patients in Jura Ward at the New Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow and who have serious concerns about the care their loved ones received.
Concerns have been raised that elderly and vulnerable patients in Jura Ward may have been given powerful medication which had not been properly prescribed. Families have also raised concerns about whether affected patients were over-sedated, whether medication was properly authorised, recorded and monitored, and whether relatives were given clear answers about what had happened.
For many families, the most worrying sign was a sudden and unexplained deterioration in their loved one’s condition. Some relatives noticed that patients became extremely drowsy, withdrawn, unable to communicate properly, unable to eat or drink as normal, or dramatically different from their usual selves.
If your elderly relative was treated in Jura Ward at the New Stobhill Hospital and you are worried they may have been given unprescribed medication, over-sedated, or harmed because of inappropriate drug administration, Thompsons Solicitors Scotland can help you investigate what happened.
Families deserve answers when vulnerable patients cannot speak for themselves
Elderly patients, dementia patients and people receiving mental health inpatient care are among the most vulnerable people in the healthcare system. Many cannot clearly explain what has happened to them, what medication they have been given, or why they feel suddenly drowsy, confused or unwell.
That is why families often become the first people to notice when something is wrong.
If your loved one’s condition changed suddenly in Jura Ward and you were not given a clear explanation, you may be entitled to ask questions and seek legal advice.
Families should not be dismissed when they raise concerns about unexplained sedation, deterioration, dehydration, falls, loss of mobility or changes in behaviour. These concerns may be especially important where a patient was living with dementia or lacked capacity to speak up for themselves.
What concerns are being investigated?
The concerns raised by affected families include whether vulnerable elderly patients may have been:
- given medication which was not properly prescribed;
- given powerful painkillers or sedating medication without proper authority;
- left unusually drowsy, lethargic or unable to communicate;
- wrongly recorded as refusing food or fluids;
- allowed to deteriorate without proper explanation;
- exposed to avoidable risks including dehydration, falls or loss of mobility;
- harmed because family concerns were not properly listened to.
These are serious matters. Where there are concerns that vulnerable elderly patients may have been given medication without proper prescription, consent, recording or monitoring, families are entitled to seek clear answers.
Could giving unprescribed medication be medical negligence?
A medical negligence claim may arise where a patient has suffered harm because care fell below an acceptable standard.
In cases involving elderly or vulnerable patients, this may include concerns that medication was:
- given when it had not been properly prescribed;
- administered without proper consent or lawful authority;
- used inappropriately to sedate or manage a patient;
- not properly recorded in the medical notes;
- not clinically justified;
- not monitored safely after being given;
- given despite the patient’s age, frailty, dementia or other risk factors;
- linked to falls, dehydration, loss of mobility, deterioration or avoidable distress.
Not every medication error will lead to a legal claim. However, where a patient’s condition changed suddenly, where families were not properly informed, or where there is evidence of harm, the circumstances should be investigated carefully.
Warning signs families may have noticed
You may wish to seek advice if your relative experienced a sudden or unexplained change while in Jura Ward, including:
- extreme drowsiness or sleeping far more than usual;
- appearing vacant, heavily sedated or “not themselves”;
- becoming unable to communicate properly;
- difficulty eating or drinking;
- dehydration or unexplained weight loss;
- sudden loss of mobility;
- repeated falls or increased frailty;
- confusion beyond their usual baseline;
- being told they were “refusing” food or fluids when that did not match what family members saw;
- signs of withdrawal or distress after medication stopped;
- staff being unable to clearly explain what medication was given and why.
These symptoms can have many causes, particularly in elderly or dementia patients. However, if your instinct was that something was wrong, it is important that your concerns are taken seriously.
Jonathan Howat: “Families deserve answers”
Jonathan Howat, Partner and Head of the Medical Negligence Team at Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, is dealing with these claims.
Jonathan Howat
Jonathan Howat
“We are representing families of people who were patients in Jura Ward at the New Stobhill Hospital and who have serious concerns about the treatment their loved ones received. These are extremely worrying allegations involving some of the most vulnerable patients in our healthcare system.
“Patients living with dementia, frailty or significant health conditions are often unable to speak up for themselves. That makes it vital that medication is properly prescribed, properly recorded, clinically justified and carefully monitored.
“If families noticed that a loved one suddenly became heavily sedated, unable to eat or drink, unable to walk, unable to communicate, or dramatically different from their usual self, those concerns should not be ignored. Families know their loved ones. They deserve clear answers about what happened and whether avoidable harm was caused.”
How Thompsons Solicitors Scotland can help
Our specialist medical negligence solicitors can help families investigate whether a loved one was harmed by negligent medical care.
We can help by:
- obtaining and reviewing hospital and care records;
- checking medication charts and prescription records;
- considering whether medication was properly authorised;
- investigating whether the patient had capacity to consent;
- examining whether family concerns were properly recorded and acted on;
- instructing independent medical experts where appropriate;
- advising whether there may be a medical negligence claim;
- supporting families through complaints, investigations and legal proceedings.
Speak to our medical negligence solicitors
If your elderly relative was a patient in Jura Ward at the New Stobhill Hospital and you are concerned they were given unprescribed medication, over-sedated, or harmed while in care, contact Thompsons Solicitors Scotland.
You do not need to know whether negligence occurred before speaking to us. Our role is to help you investigate what happened, understand your rights, and decide what steps can be taken.
Contact Jonathan Howat and our specialist medical negligence team today for a confidential discussion.
