Department Of Health Must Respect The Rights Of Patients

At the Gauteng Legislature’s petitions committee public hearings held in Sebokeng yesterday, officials from the Department of Health admitted that patient’s receiving treatment at local clinics in Lesedi have been treated badly by nursing staff.

This was revealed from questions emanating from the group petition submitted by my colleague, DA Gauteng Legislature Chief Whip, Mike Moriarty, which dealt with concerns about unsympathetic medical staff’s attitude towards patients – particularly the elderly and disabled.

The department has explained how it will be working towards upskilling and improving the quality of treatment patients will receive from nursing staff.

When patients arrive at clinics, they are often at their most vulnerable which is aggravated by the negative attitude of staff.

The turnabout strategy as suggested by the department must be implemented as soon as possible to ensure that patients enjoy not only quality, but dignified healthcare.

The DA will continue to monitor this situation and respond to the needs of residents.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Lebo More MPL

DA Spokesperson on Petitions

072 273 4487

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Joburg Hospital Short Of 364 Nurses

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is short of 364 nurses, and has a total of 436 vacancies in all staff positions.

This information is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

 

The hospital currently employs 4716 people in the following categories:

Support staff             1065

Admin staff                  520

Nursing staff              2201

Medical staff               625

Allied staff                   305

The major shortage is in nursing, but other shortages are as follows:

Support staff             12

Admin staff                21

Medical staff             12

Allied staff                 27

Loss of Skilled Staff

According to Mahlangu, the primary reason for the loss of skilled staff is due to “better remuneration in the private sector and the opportunity for self-employment.”

She says that “there has been no impact on patient care related to the loss of staff as vacant posts have been filled”.

I am concerned by the nursing shortage at the hospital which surely does affect the quality of patient care.

Many nurses are close to retirement age, so more training and recruitment is needed to fill the nursing posts at this major hospital.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom

DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC

082 333 4222

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Generator Fails As Bara Hospital ICU Hit By Power Cut

Medical staff had to move 14 patients out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital early this morning when the power failed and the generator failed to kick in.

The power failed at about 5.30 am and doctors and nurses rushed patients who needed ventilation to other parts of the hospital that had power. Without their intervention the patients would have died.

Technicians are busy with the generator but power has still not been restored.

Other parts of the hospital are still in darkness.

I am appalled that yet again there has been a generator failure at this hospital.

There has to be accountability and firm steps taken to ensure that this never happens again.

It highlights yet again the continuing incompetence of the Infrastructure Development Department which is responsible for maintenance at the hospital.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

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Yet Another Sheriff Raid On Gauteng Health Department

The Gauteng Health Department suffered the indignity yesterday of yet another raid by the Sheriff of the court to attach furniture from its head office to pay a court-ordered payment for medical negligence.

The Department was due to pay a R23 million settlement on 18 September to a woman whose baby daughter was brain-damaged after bad treatment at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Medical staff failed to perform an immediate caesarean when her unborn baby showed signs of distress in June 2005.

Despite warning letters by Wim Krynauw Attorneys, who represented the mother, the Department failed to pay on time, which was why the Sheriff was called in.

The Department avoided the spectacle of furniture being attached only after frantic negotiations produced a settlement to make staggered payments.

I am very disappointed that the Department is still not respecting court-ordered payments.

This occurs after the department suffered several raids by the Sheriff over the years because of non-payment of negligence awards. Last year, there were Sheriff visits in October and November.

In the past five years the Department has paid R544 million for medical negligence claims.

The Department should respect the court and make all payments in good time.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

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