Health managers in the Eastern Cape face censure and possible dismissal if they do not deal with complaints about negligence at hospitals under their care, health minister Bevan Goqwana said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Goqwana warned quality assurance managers to ”pull up their socks or ship out”, after a series of complaints were recorded, but seemingly not finalised, at a call centre logging complaints from the public.
”It is useless for people to raise concerns and no action is taken. There are no results of investigations. We want to see people dismissed if they are guilty of serious negligence,” said provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.
He said by 10.30am on Wednesday morning, the call centre had recorded six complaints from the public.
Kupelo said some of the complaints were very serious and included doctors turning away rape victims, or ”maternal deaths” occurring when women in labour were turned away because they lacked relevant referral letters.
”If it is an emergency case, a doctor or nurse can’t turn away patients because of a lack of referral letter,” said Kupelo.
He said a review of all complaints and their outcomes will take place going back to 2003.
Problem hospitals included Grey hospital in King Williams Town, Mthatha General hospital and the new Nelson Mandela Academic hospital in the same area, as well as the Cecilia Makhawane hospital near East London.
Kupelo said the provincial health department has identified quality of care and primary health care as its main challenges and focus areas for 2005.
The focus will include infrastructural development and the clustering of hospitals, as well as the appointment of chief executives to strengthen management in the department.
The health ministry also announced plans to appoint a team that will physically go out to hospitals, and be responsible for quality of care and complaints management.
The team, expected to be announced next week, will report directly to Goqwana and keep him abreast of disciplinary action against those found guilty of misconduct.
Members of the public can report health-related concerns and complaints to the department’s 24-hour toll-free call centre on Tel: 0800 323 64. — Sapa