The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has stated that it is willing to allow an independent process to review the quality of clinical care Mr Thomas Holmes aka Tom London was provided with while at Helen Joseph Hospital.
The Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, this evening met with the management team of Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH) together with senior officials from the department where she was appraised about the care provided to Tom London.
After having received a briefing from the clinicians the Department is satisfied that adequate clinical care was discharged to manage Tom London’s condition at the hospital.
Tom London (51) was admitted to the hospital on Sunday, 25 August 2024 presenting with difficulty in breathing. He was in the facility for 14 days, where he was cared for, subjected to various test and stabilised. On Saturday, 07 September, he signed a refusal of treatment form and discharged himself from hospital.
There are known infrastructure issues which are being attended to as part our maintenance and refurbishment programme. However, these have not had a material effect on the treatment given to patients admitted at the hospital.
Meanwhile, in an effort to improve patient care and staff safety the GDoH has developed a facility maintenance and refurbishment programme which it is currently rolling out to address the issue of the ailing infrastructure.
The programme entails statutory maintenance to ensure the upkeep of facilities, racapitalisation project to replace equipment which has passed its lifespan including the fast-tracking and completion of infrastructure projects.
The GDoH has established an internal Infrastructure Unit which has now developed a maintenance and refurbishment programme.
Through this intervention, several facilities have already undergone maintenance and refurbishments such as the completed ICU wards at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and Jubilee District Hospital. Discoverers CHC and Kopanong Hospital have also undergone substantial refurbishments.
The newly refurbished Helen Joseph Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) was opened on Wednesday, 22 May 2024. The ED boasts eight (8) resuscitation and two (2) isolation rooms, 15 medical rooms, 10 surgical rooms and 6 rooms for critically stable patients. The building has been restructured, receiving new ceiling and roofing, flooring, plumbing, electrification and HVEC and enhanced IT systems. It also has improved facilities for persons living with disabilities and improved staff workstations, including those for porters and cleaners.
Helen Joseph and other facilities are earmarked for further maintenance as part of efforts to improve the infrastructure across facilities.
The GDoH urges patients to report their complaints to the quality assurance offices located at each facility when they are not happy with the service standards.
Alternatively, patients can directly report their complaint to the GDoH Quality Assurance office at head office. The unit can be reached on the 24-hour customer line on 0800 203 886 which is a toll-free number or on email: patientscomplaints.health@gauteng.gov.za or support@gauteng.gov.za and sms: 35023.
SOURCED FROM THE GPG WEBSITE.
