DEAR Editor,-
THE Port Shepstone Regional Hospital management was stunned to see an incorrect and twisted story in last week’s Herald about Sanele Malishe being thrown out of the hospital after staff refused to attend to his mother who needed an eye operation, which was not the case. The eye clinic staff could not believe that such a false story could be published without verifying the facts.
According to a report given by the clinical head of surgery unit, the patient was brought to the hospital by her son on June 12 to be admitted in ward 2 for optimum preparation of a clinical procedure that was going to be done on June 13th.
The nursing personnel on duty on this day reported that when the son was requested to go to casualty to open a file for his mother, he refused, caused commotion but ultimately he reluctantly went and came back. It must be noted that the family member brought the patient at midday due to a number of factors related to communication and at that time the senior doctor was already in theatre. It was explained to the relative that the senior doctor was busy in theatre and the patient was advised to wait in the ward to be reviewed by him. The doctor also said that if they were unable to wait, they should be advised to come back to the surgical outpatients department for re-booking on Tuesday since the theatre slate was already full, however, they chose to wait.
On entering the ward, the doctor was met with hostility and was physically threatened by the patient’s son and this ultimately made staff call for security’s intervention, but when security arrived to maintain order, they had already left the ward with the patient.
On June 13th a meeting was held with both sons at the request of Doctor Dlamini-Kunene (acting CEO). The head of surgery unit availed himself to explain their intention to help the mother but also explained that they were not going to accept the family’s abusive and violent behavior towards the staff. The same son who was reported to be violent and aggressive the day before exhibited similar behavior towards the doctor – threatening and gesticulating and invading his personal space. The doctor advised them that he was calling a halt to the meeting and attempted to make his way to the door.At last the family member made peace with the doctor and the doctor asked him to bring his mother in on that day for admission. He also fully counselled them on what her condition was like. Later, the family members were appreciative of the care the mother received in the unit.
The hospital management wishes to remind everyone that sound communication is the backbone of health care provision and it has a significant impact on the outcome of care.We wish to state sternly that the eye clinic staff did not have anything to do with the patient and hope this can be corrected.
P P MORAI
Public Relations Officer Port Shepstone Regional Hospital
DR P B DLAMINI-KUNENE
Chief Executive Office (Acting CEO) Port Shepstone Regional Hospital
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