Good hospital service is non-negotiable

THE number of times the words ‘hospital’ and ‘crisis’ are used in the same sentence is unacceptable.

There is presently a disturbing situation at Hlabisa Hospital, where the provincial government has stepped in after allegations of mismanagement and poor service delivery.

This is a story that is often repeated at many State hospitals in KZN.

Patients and their visitors have reported ad nauseam about poor treatment they receive at hospitals – generally, it must be said, from administrative rather than medical staff.

The latter do their best under trying circumstances, working in run-down buildings and having to make do with apparatus that seldom gets repaired, maintained or replaced.

Indeed, hospitals such as Ngwelezana, which suffers from the same lack of basic infrastructure and support, has an enviable reputation as boasting the best possible trauma, burns and snake-bite response teams.

The sterling work done by EMRS ambulance and Air Mercy Services crews is likewise of the highest praiseworthy order.

But if admin staff fail to place orders on time, ‘lose’ information in computers, misplace files, have a high absentee rate, steal (or allow to be stolen) bedding

and supplies; and if management engage in corrupt tender processes or fail to spend budgets appropriately, all the good work is undone.

With the majority of citizens not on medical aid, State clinics and hospitals are their only option.

This is for many, especially the elderly, literally a life or death situation.

Tardy admissions, incorrect data capture, unhygienic wards, uncaring staff, lack of sympathy (this includes security personnel) and a host of other regular complaints are unworthy of the nursing profession as a whole and are insulting to patients.

As usual, it is the few who bring condemnation upon the many.

Thank you to all those who serve diligently in our hospitals under trying circumstances.

We trust that those whose bodies are there but whose hearts are not, will be found out and dismissed.