Health body cries foul over planned closure of maternity facilities at Netcare Alberlito Hospital

The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Sasog) claims that Netcare is treating their maternity unit staff at Netcare’s Alberlito Hospital in Ballito unfairly.

The group has also called on Netcare to reconsider its decision to close the maternity unit at Netcare Alberlito Hospital.

Leases won’t be renewed

According to Sasog president Dr Haynes van der Merwe, five obstetrician and gynaecologist (ObGyn) specialists and four pediatricians with practices at Alberlito Hospital have been informed that their leases will not be renewed in January next year, and that they must vacate their consulting rooms by the end of April 2023.

He said that a statement released by Netcare on October 24 stated that the hospital will no longer offer admission facilities to sick children and birthing women from the end of April and that the unit, comprising 37 beds, will be repurposed for higher income-generating services.

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In response Netcare referred The Witness to a statement it sent on October 29.

Support for existing specialists

In it, regional manager of Netcare’s KZN hospital division Sara Nayager committed to continue supporting the existing specialists and to provide doctors with consulting rooms adjacent to the hospital.

Nayager said that in a meeting with doctors certain decisions were made.

These included that for pediatrics, a dedicated pediatric ward, accommodating overnight and day admissions with fewer beds, will remain in place and that for obstetrics and gynaecology, women’s health and gynaecological surgery outside of pregnancy would continue unabated without any changes. It also said the current birthing and neonatal facilities and services will be available until the end of June 2023.

“Thereafter, as from 1 July, 2023, Netcare Alberlito Hospital will no longer be able to accommodate these services in Ballito.”

The group said Netcare Alberlito Hospital’s emergency department will continue to provide treatment for paediatric patients. “Patients with obstetric emergencies will be stabilised and transferred to suitable hospitals with obstetric units.”

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In another statement released by Netcare on October 27, they said that most of the healthcare services provided to children at Netcare Alberlito Hospital will continue uninterrupted.

Nayager said more than 80% of the care provided to paediatric patients at Netcare Alberlito Hospital will be unaffected by the changes planned to commence in May next year.

She said the hospital’s emergency department will continue to welcome children and families and care for their urgent medical needs, and paediatric day procedures will remain in place.

She added that they were forced to consider the impact this scenario is having on the overall sustainability of the hospital, which has been running at a loss over many years due in part to these underperforming and resource intensive units.

The affected specialists have either been offered practising privileges at other Netcare facilities, where we are seeing a demand for these services, or alternative options have been discussed. We will also do our utmost to ensure alternative consulting rooms for those specialists affected in office spaces close to the hospital

She said patients can access these specialised services at other healthcare facilities, including a private hospital 14 km away, and Netcare uMhlanga Hospital, which is 30 km from the hospital.

Nayager said the maternity, neonatal and paediatric units on the second floor of Netcare Alberlito Hospital will be replaced with mental health services for adolescents and adults.

She said this is because the National Department of Health stated in June this year that more than 6,5 million people in South Africa are in need of professional mental health intervention, of which almost 1,3 million require care for severe psychiatric conditions.

“Replacing the maternity, neonatal and overnight paediatric services, for which there is such low demand, with mental healthcare services will provide a solution for the hospital’s overall sustainability, making it possible for the hospital to continue offering a host of other specialised medical and surgical services, and protect the jobs of our staff members,” said Nayager