The Hillbrow Clinic has been accused of risking the life of a 96-year-old Jeppestown woman.
This accusation came after the clinic released the woman as fit.
Three days later, the woman was admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, where she was discharged a week later.
The woman’s daughter, Ms Janice Le Roux, said Mrs Magdalena Maria Lumley (96) fell and hit her head against a table on July 23.
Known as the “community’s granny”, Ms Lumley was alone at home when she fell.
Her domestic worker, Ms Tiny Dlamini, who was off on the day, said she was called by the neighbours.
“We, with a help of a neighbour who is a nurse, we tried to give her first aid. She was bleeding from the cuts on her head,” said Ms Dlamini.
She said she gave Ms Le Roux’s contact numbers to ambulance officials.
“I asked them to call her with updates and questions as she would be able go there if needs be,” she said.
Ms Le Roux said she received a call to fetch Mrs Lumley from the clinic after 6pm.
“I asked them if they couldn’t keep her overnight just for observations. They told me no, they do not keep people overnight because they are a clinic. They told me that if I did not fetch her, she would sleep outside,” said Ms Le Roux.
She said when she arrived at the clinic, nobody gave her any details about Mrs Lumley’s health status.
“They completely ignored me. I was told she was good to go home. She had about six pain killers with her. I found a wheelchair and I took her home without anybody telling me anything,” she said.
She said on July 27, Ms Dlamini called her saying Mrs Lumley was not well.
“She said she was shaking and refusing to eat. We had to call an ambulance again. She was taken to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Doctors said she was dehydrated,” said Ms Le Roux.
Ms Le Roux said the long stay in hospital meant Mrs Lumley needed observation from the onset.
“She is an old lady who needed more care. Her injuries needed to be monitored more than those of a young patient. The fact that they did not even give us medication that could last for at least more than five days, shows that they underestimated her injuries,” she said.
She said the process to place Mrs Lumley with a frail care home is at an advanced stage.
An inquiry was sent to the Gauteng Department of Health on July 29.
Comment was requested by July 30. At the time of going to print, no comment was received.
