Netcare Alberton Hospital receives visit from Ward 106
Ward 106 Clr Tim Denny and committee members paid newly built Netcare Alberton Hospital a visit on July 15.
I would like to share some positive feedback with you about the Netcare Alberton Hospital. On July 15, my team and I met with the general manager of the hospital.
The purpose of the meeting was to raise and discuss issues that residents and patients have experienced as well as to bring information back to the community from the hospital management.
Firstly, the meeting was an extremely positive, open and honest one and the general manager was welcoming and eager to engage with us. As with all new establishments and businesses, the hospital is no different and not without its challenges.
Taking two hospitals and merging them into one enormous hospital is no easy feat and does not come without ‘teething’ issues. The hospital has attracted patients from far and wide, as well as from all over Gauteng.
The current occupancy rates are at unprecedented levels, which is both positive but presents issues which the hospital management and staff continue to work through daily. The staff are continuously trained and guided through the processes of dealing with these enormous challenges.
Secondly, the hospital boasts the largest emergency unit in the southern hemisphere. This is something to be extremely proud of. Patients are always triaged on arrival at a hospital, irrespective of how busy they are to expedite and channel treatment appropriately.
For example, a P1 (priority 1) patient represents immediately life-threatening emergencies. This type of patient will be prioritised over a patient who presents at emergency with a minor injury or illness. This often results in delays for patients with less severe injuries or medical conditions.
Thirdly, due to unprecedented numbers of patients using the new hospital, the parking area is usually full and this frustrates many. Netcare Alberton Hospital has concluded planning and construction for additional parking facilities will commence soon.
We also need to bear in mind that the doctors, nurses and hospital staff have just been through two years of a pandemic which has traumatised, exhausted and placed extraordinary pressures on them all.
Many have lost their colleagues as well. Add the merging of two separate workplaces and the enormous change in the work environment and familiarity many were used to now gone and you have additional trauma and issues to work through. Our healthcare workers are human after all.
We would like to encourage the Alberton community to support Netcare Alberton Hospital, despite the current and medium-term challenges. Hospital management is doing its utmost to resolve the ‘teething’ issues and patients’ concerns and frustrations are by no means going unnoticed or being ignored.
Let’s give our state-of-the-art hospital a chance to be the absolute best in Gauteng – if not South Africa. A big thank you to the general manager for making the time to meet with us, engage with us and have an open and honest conversation. This is highly appreciated and valued.
Clr Tim Denny
