‘Alleged mistreatment of Helen Joseph Hospital patients inexcusable’

The Gauteng Health Department has described the alleged mistreatment of patients at the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg as inexcusable.This comes after a video exposing the poor state of the hospital went viral on social media.

Former broadcaster Tom London who was admitted to the hospital alleges that he experienced neglect and unprofessional behaviour from the staff including doctors. The Department’s Spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba says they are concerned about the allegations.

Modiba says, “There’s no excuse about that and I think it’s part of the reason why as a department we have embarked on a campaign called the “I serve with a smile campaign”.

“The bigger issue that the public seems to be raising is the issue around the attitude and the patient experience of care, that yes you’ve given me a Panado but how did you give it to me? “Are you giving it to me in a way that recognises that I’m here as a patient to receive care.“

In a way that is dignified and so forth. So that is obviously something we are concerned about. And given this outcry, it shows that we still have a long way to go in so far as entrenching this culture within the service,” He adds.

Story credit: SABC News