Stalwart treated poorly at public hospital before passing
GREENSIDE - Greenside resident Jenny Pengelly has laid a complaint against Leratong Hospital, regarding the poor treatment of her husband, Trevor Pengelly before his passing last year.
Jenny, who was overseas when her husband was admitted to hospital, said Trevor had been taken to Leratong on 1 November last year after he fell and hurt himself.
“He should have been taken to Helen Joseph Hospital, but because there was a power failure there, they took him to Leratong instead,” she said. “They should have moved him to Helen Joseph the next day, but instead he stayed at Leratong for 13 days.”
According to his wife, while at Leratong he was allegedly mistreated by the hospital staff. He was unable to move due to the fractures and asked the nurses for a bed pan but was constantly ignored.
“They also misread his x-rays, stating that he had a break in his hip instead of his left femur,” said Jenny.
“[Trevor] wasn’t fit but he was generally healthy. Private healthcare was too expensive for us.”
Trevor was subsequently moved to Helen Joseph and passed away several days later on 27 November last year.
The Pengelly family claimed that as a result of Trevor being left in traction for 13 days at Leratong, his risk for renal failure increased, whereas if he had a pin inserted into the break of his femur sooner at Helen Joseph, he would have been mobile with physiotherapy and with no renal impairment.
“Trevor was very active in the community, it fed his soul. He would have wanted me to take this up,” said Jenny.
“Its about bringing them to book, and hoping that people who are [admitted] there in future receive better treatment.”
Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom stated that he forwarded the complaint to Leratong, and acknowledged that it was Trevor’s last wish that something be done about the public health system.
Leratong Hospital has informed the Rosebank Killarney Gazette that their Quality Assurance Department is planning to contact Jenny for a meeting in the coming week.
Trevor served as the chairman of the Greenside Residents Association and is credited with the non-closure of Napier Road in Richmond.
