Endangering the lives of patients in public hospitals: No senior doctors, hospital interns work unsupervised
MBOMBELA – Interns at Rob Ferreira Hospital are at their wits’ end, as they reportedly sometimes have to work unsupervised because there are no senior doctors available to assist.
Informed sources allege this happens at least six times a month. And although the medical manager of the hospital, Gladys Koete, has issued a letter stating the hospital would not accept any transfers without the availability of a senior doctor, the department of health said it was merely a contingency plan should there be, for any unforeseen reason, no senior doctor available, Lowvelder reported.
Rob Ferreira Hospital is the province’s referral hospital, and all major orthopaedic, paediatric and other medical cases that cannot be attended to in other hospitals are sent there.
In recent media reports, there have been allegations that intern doctors have to work unsupervised because of a lack of senior doctors. An intern told the publication medical officers were leaving because of the terrible working conditions at the hospital, forcing interns to do calls at night with absolutely no senior supervision.
Lowvelder spoke to a source who confirmed this and sent the publication a letter issued by Koete, which stated that any unit within Rob Ferreira without a medical officer must inform the clinical manager, who would then inform all the hospitals in the area.
It had been reported before on the fact that more than 2 000 patients were waiting on orthopaedic surgery, as there was only one surgeon available. In the most recent reports, it was claimed four interns without the necessary experience reportedly had to attend to up to 90 patients in the orthopaedic unit, along with hundreds more in the clinic.
Health department spokesperson Dumisani Malamule denied this, saying surgical, orthopaedic and paediatric units have a consultant on call daily.
According to Malamule, there is a minimum of five doctors within the surgical, orthopaedic and paediatric units during working hours respectively. He added that three per unit were available after hours.
“Senior doctors are always available. This letter is a contingency plan should there, for any unforeseen reasons, be no senior doctor available. In such cases patients are stabilised and, if there is a need, sent to the facility which is skilled to manage such a case.”
http://citizen.co.za/359532/hospital-interns-work-unsupervised/![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
↧