Pretoria – The non-availability of basic equipment for patient care, the lack of quality leadership and management, and unacceptable staff attitude towards patients are some of the findings by an investigation team dispatched at Holy Cross Hospital in Flagstaff, Eastern Cape.
The hospital’s CEO and nursing manager have since been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation into their role in respect of serious dereliction of duty, mismanagement and harm to patient care, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announced on Thursday.
Motsoaledi released the findings after sending an investigation team to probe the state of affairs at the hospital last week. This follows complaints and allegations from a report written by a suspended doctor, Dr Dingeman Rijken, who was an employee of the hospital.
The investigation team consisted of people experienced in hospital management, procurement systems, infrastructure, maternal and child health, as well as representatives from the Eastern Cape Provincial Health Department.
The hospital was found to have no basic equipment to use for patient care. This included having no blood pressure machines, foetal heart monitors, few thermometers, and no baby warmers on the resuscitators, with babies being resuscitated in cold rooms. A lot of linen, surgical towels, gowns and sheets were used to cover chairs in the wards.
On the quality of care, most nurses interviewed believed that they were trying hard to provide optimal care to the patients but admitted that there was no team work in the facility.
“All admitted that there are some practices by some colleagues that may contribute to sub-optimal care. They are aware of some instances where the charting of vital signs, medicines and the partogram are recorded, even though not executed. Most deliveries have records done after delivery.
“All nurses interviewed acknowledged that staff attitude towards patients, relatives and even amongst themselves in the facility, was not acceptable. The general feeling was that management has no power over the unacceptable behaviour as they are friends with the wrongdoers,” Motsoaledi said during a media briefing.
On the leadership and management, the findings noted that the facility lacked leadership and management, and records of meetings in service education. Nurses and midwives were not made aware of crucial policies, guidelines and targets and other directives that should be guiding their day-to-day practice.
It was further discovered that folders, which could have been purchased for R3 000, were bought for R30 000 -- at over 10 times what it ought to have cost.
Motsoaledi noted that there was a potential for the facility to be the best in the district or Eastern Cape, should there be good management.
“This hospital was part of the Hospital Revitalisation Programme and a sum of R105 million has been spent to refurbish this hospital. The work was completed in January 2012,” said a concerned Motsoaledi.
Disciplinary measures against the hospital administrator have also been instituted and both the hospital CEO and Nursing Service Manager will be reported to the South African Nursing Council for breach of professional ethics.
In an attempt to help patients using the facility, the national Health Department has purchased 20 baumanometers, 10 neonatal ambu bags, 10 paediatric ambu bags, 10 adult ambu bags, 10 pulse oxygen metres, two electric POP saws and five foetoscopes - among the long list of equipment needed by the hospital. – SAnews.gov.za
