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Gauteng Health apologises for Tom London Helen Joseph treatment
Tom London spent two weeks at Helen Joseph Hospital and relayed via video his disgust at the treatment given to patients by staff.
Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen
The Gauteng Department of Health has responded to the viral spotlight on its facilities.
Former media personality Tom London caused a stir over the weekend when he released a series of videos from within Helen Joseph Hospital, documenting alleged ill treatment.
London, whose real name is Thomas Holmes, described scenes featuring apathetic and disrespectful staff, among the well-documented conditions of government healthcare facilities.
Provincial health officials assess situation
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited the hospital on Sunday evening to investigate London’s claims.
ALSO READ: Patients sleep on floor of Helen Joseph Hospital’s casualty ward while other beds lie empty
The MEC received a breakdown of London’s 14-day stay at the hospital and was confident the care given to London was “adequate”.
“The department is willing to allow an independent process to review the quality of clinical care provided to him while at HJH,” stated the MEC.
“There are known infrastructure issues which are being attended to as part of the maintenance and refurbishment programme,” she added.
Health department apology
London discharged himself on Saturday. He spoke on 702 on Monday morning describing what he had witnessed.
He did credit the casualty staff for their professionalism but revealed that on day three of his stay he defecated his pants while waiting in line to use the lone toilet available to him.
London spent much of that day in his soiled pants, and the subsequent days were spent seemingly ignored by sullen staff who allegedly seemed unmoved by their patients’ distress.
ALSO READ: Tom London complaint: ‘Helen Joseph Hospital needs a permanent CEO,’ says DA
Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba apologised and explained that programmes to improve levels of service from doctors were being implemented.
“At the heart of his cry is the issues around the patient’s experience of care. You can’t excuse the staff’s attitude. It’s the reason we have introduced an intervention programme,” Modiba told 702.
Programmes to improve service
Modiba conceded that basic communications procedures were lacking but that the department was committed to improving matters, not just at Helen Joseph.
This would include the rolling out of a “service with a smile” programme, implementation of a stricter code of conduct and conflict management as part of the onboarding process.
“We apologise, not just to Tom London, but to any other patient who might have gone through a similar experience,” he concluded.
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