Alleged maladministration at Clinton questioned

I would like to shine a light on the shocking goings-on at the Netcare Clinton Hospital in Alberton.

My mother had a stroke and was admitted to the hospital from December 2-5 and underwent several tests.

The lady who was in the same room as my mother witnessed the following: At 02:00, after many attempts from my mother to get help by pressing the alarm button, the lady eventually went with my mom (with her drip and all) to the nurse’s station and found three nurses sleeping.

When the lady asked for their assistance for my mother and another lady, one nurse got up and closed the ward’s door without bothering to help (do their job).

Every morning at 11:00 when I came to visit, I was upset to find that my mother had not been washed, as she cannot do it herself and it needed to be done, so I had to do it myself.

Another incident was when the nurse was feeding my mother and because she could not swallow big pieces of solid food, the nurse walked out and said that my mom is wasting her time and messing with the food. (Again witnessed by the other lady).

When I asked the nurse for water for my mom, she rudely said, “When I’m done!”

To top it all off, when my mom was discharged, we requested an ambulance, but the nurse on duty gave the incorrect information about the state of her health, so then the medical aid declined the request, which cost us a lot more time and money wasted.

I had to phone the retirement village, where my mom lives, and organise a car to get her. Two nurses then man-handled my mom into the car, because she is not mobile at all, and when we got outside we saw there was an ambulance outside that had been waiting there for an hour and a half to be dispatched. Again, it showed the incompetence of the Clinton Hospital and its staff.

A good friend of our sister-in-law was in the Clinton hospital as a cancer patient. She had to be taken to hospice and they said there was no ambulance available.

The patient was on a drip and had to be taken by car to hospice.

I was also told that there was an ambulance standing there, not in use, so why could it not be dispatched?

Really, is anyone safe to end up at Clinton Hospital as a patient? There is that ‘don’t care’ attitude. You are only a number to go one way.

H

The RECORD posed a few questions to the hospital and received the following answers from Esmé Abrahams, Netcare Hospital Manager:

1. Is there no oversight at the hospital to ensure good care and prevent sleeping on the job?

“Netcare policy with regards to sleeping on duty is communicated to all staff and non-adherence to this is dealt with as per the Netcare policy.”

2. What are the measures taken (if any) if staff are found to be incompetent and who abuse patients ?

“Netcare considers any allegations with regards to mismanagement of patients in a very serious light. Each allegation is investigated and managed accordingly.”

3. What is the protocol when you receive complaints?

“Netcare has an internal policy with regards to patient complaints and this is communicated in all nursing units via posters with the applicable contact details.”

4. Do you investigate claims like this ?

“All patient complaints are investigated and recorded. The complainant receives feedback after an internal investigation has been conducted. Remedial action is taken.”

5. What happens in these cases ?

“Each incident is investigated and handled accordingly.”