MEDICS failed to spot that a woman had a brain injury and internal bleeding after falling over in Glasgow's super hospital.

The woman was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Govan when she fell in the bathroom.

A nurse who found her didn't spot any signs that she was injured, nor did fellow nurses or doctors who continued to monitor her.

But later the same day blood was spotted on the woman's bed sheets by her son who was visiting, and medics found that she had a wound on her arm that they had missed.

The next day he also noticed a bruise around his mum's hairline and reported it to nurses who had also failed to spot it.

After the woman went for a scan it emerged she had an acute subdural haematoma - a type of internal bleeding between the brain and the skull - which is one of the most lethal types of head injury and is caused by trauma.

She was immediately taken for surgery to stop the bleeding and relieve the pressure on her brain.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) launched a probe after the incident, and investigated what happened over months before concluding that a risk assessment of the woman falling in hospital had not been properly done.

The woman's son submitted a complaint about his mum's care and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has criticised the health board's handling of the case.

In a report, the SPSO said: "[The woman's son] was unhappy that nursing and medical staff failed to identify and treat his mother's injuries.

"In response to [his] complaint, the board acknowledged that nursing staff should have observed the bruising to [his mother]'s head when delivering personal care and apologised that medical staff also missed this injury.

"The medical adviser was critical that a top-to-toe examination was not carried out by medical staff following the fall, and was also critical of how the medical examination was documented."

Four recommendations were made to NHSGGC including training junior medical staff on how to properly examine patients who have fallen, and ensuring the member of staff who carried out the assessment learn about record-keeping following the incident.

The health board has also been ordered to provide a written apology to the family for not properly examining the woman after she fell.

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesman said: "We would like to reemphasise our apologies to the patient and her family for failings in her care and treatment.

"The ombudsman made four recommendations and we have accepted these in full.

"The areas where the patient’s care and treatment fell below expected levels have been highlighted to the relevant staff groups and the ombudsman’s recommendations have already, or are being, addressed."