‘Letaba Hospital’s service not up to scratch…’

“On 4 October I went to Letaba Hospital as I am a patient there.

I am a diabetic and also suffers arthritis I was booked for the diabetic clinic for that day and also collect and see results of all the blood tests done the previous month. So you enter the reception of the old patient department and hand in your card so that they look for your file and give it to you, which I did. The lady that controls that reception and sits and stands there orders you around like a drill sergeant. But you keep quit and wait.

The place was packed to capacity even outside all the chairs were occupied .

So I I just stood at the door waiting for my file, because if you sit outside, they do not come out and call out your name, so if you don’t hear, you just keep waiting and its a long long time . This lady who wears spectacles and controls reception wasn’t impressed that I stood at the door waiting for my file, but I had no option, because I realy wasn’t well that day. So my file came out before all the other people that were sitting on all the chairs and benches outside, cause I heard them call my name and collected it. So next you have to get a number, and then proceed to the DOPC, where you also queue and then they check if you liable for any payment or not and need that ticket with the number on, and obviously register on the system for being there that day.

So since I got my file and there was no reason for me to stay at reception I asked the lady if she can now give me my number. She unfortunately refused and said I should sit outside in the queue.

I then asked her why since I got my file and all the people outside don’t have files yet. She rudely said, “I told you to wait in the queue outside and when i’am ready I will give you that number.” My point and reasoning is – why make us wait unnecessarily since I have my file and whose fault is it that my files comes out before that masses of people still waiting outside. Is it not their duty to make us as comfortable and treat us with dignity?

No we are treated with utter disrespect and she will belittle you and show you who is the boss. By then I was so tired and angry and hungry and all that I decided to go next door and see if I can explain this to the ladies at the counter where where they check you in, but unfortunately after waiting there in the queue to, I could no longer, cause my aches and pains no longer allowed it. I took the file to the counter and told the lady, “I’am sorry but I am not well and I’am leaving. I will see if I can make it back, but unfortunately was not able to. I’ve being to the emergency many times, whenever my sugar goes up and never had problems there, they quickly put up a drip for me and bring it down.

Whether its 2 or 3 hours or more, they always stabilize me and then I go back home.

I live in Tzaneen and travel all the way there just for the diabetic Clinic, but that lady at reception think we are imbecilic and children. She has no respect for the sick and elderly. I need an explanation of why numbers are not issued as on as your file comes out. Why make us wait unnecessarily and longer just because that one one person thinks she owns the out patient department. It is totally unexceptionable and really undermines our dignity. That is why servants in the health services are not appreciated because of poor service delivery. I never went back and don’t have my results or medication, cause I’am so put off from my last experience.

I also know and have seen people reprimand her previously for talking down on them and treating them poorly, but most people have no option or alternative and keep quit, but i believe that needs to stop and that system needs change. The quicker you can move patients, the better for everyone. But the staff delay you unnecessarily just to make you miserable. It is not a joke to sit and wait so long because one person decides to do things her way. I commend doctors and nurses at emergency services, they always treated me kindly and with respect, but this lady needs to be sorted out.” (sic) Niel Shikwambana, provincial media spokesperson for The Department of Health replied: The issue as raised by the complainant is quite unfortunate. As correctly stated, all employees in our facility have a responsibility to treat patients with courtesy and respect as per our service standards. In this kind of instance, we advice anyone to immediately take up the issue with hospital management, CEO in particular. We need to inculcate the culture of frowning and reporting bad service whenever it gets experienced in public facilities and we encourage our managers to take serious action against anyone who is found to be mistreating patients. Have you experience bad service at the Letaba Hospital? Is this reply from the department acceptable? Email: bertus@herald. co.za