Kindness and professionalism the order of the day at Helen Joseph Hospital, say patients

11 Sep 2024

Despite facing significant challenges, including deteriorating infrastructure and management issues, Gauteng’s public hospitals are not without their successes. Recent accounts from patients illustrate a commitment to compassionate care and ongoing improvements.

Despite the significant challenges facing Gauteng's hospitals, it seems there are still dedicated professionals working hard to enhance patient care and outcomes. Linda Verwey, a resident of Albertville, highlighted this positive shift with her recent experience at Helen Joseph Hospital. On 10 August 2024 she stepped in as a community leader to help Carel Pretorius, a local homeless man who had been brutally attacked. Verwey’s account sheds light on the compassionate care he received at the hospital, offering a hopeful perspective on the region’s healthcare system.

“He had three bad wounds to his head, six stab wounds in his back, and they broke his leg. The ambulance was called and arrived within 30 minutes, and the people in the ambulance treated him so kindly and sweetly,” she said.

Careltjie, as he is affectionately known within the community, was taken to Helen Joseph Hospital and admitted. The following day, Verwey went to visit him and noted the hospital’s cleanliness, attentive nurses, and respectful interactions from all staff.

“From the security guard who was at the gate, he asked us where we wanted to go and directed us to the parking lot with a smile. I went to the main entrance to go up to the ward, also, again, greeted very pleasantly by the staff,” she said.

“I went up to the emergency ward where he was. I’m not exaggerating but I could actually see my reflection in the floors, that’s how clean they were. The sisters were very helpful. They directed me to where he was. They gave me a little update on his situation.”

Comfort in crisis

Former broadcaster Tom London noted a distressing incident involving Nicholas Johannes van Burick (34), who died in the hospital. London observed that Burick was reportedly left in his bed for hours before being removed. Despite this, Verwey attested to the compassionate care Burick received from the nurses in his final days.

Verwey said that Burick was in the ward when she visited Pretorius.

“He was in the ward in the corner, the nurses I promise you cared for him. He was in a sunny spot, he was obviously very near the end of life. The nurses tucked him in. They checked him. They made sure he was comfortable,” she said.

Another individual who also asked not to be named said that when his father died in 2019 at the hospital, he and the family were treated with compassion.

“I have to give praise where it is due. I was so extremely grateful for the amazing care, compassion and support the doctors and nurses gave my father. During his admission they treated him well and did everything they could to help. I have nothing but deep respect and compassion for all the staff at the facility who helped my family and I during our time of need. The love and kindness they showed made the very painful loss of my father easier to process,” he said.

Verwey noted that Pretorius was also happy with the compassionate care that he received, with staff treating him kindly and professionally.

“Careltjie said the nurses have been treating him so nicely. He never complained about the food, the other people in the ward also said that the nurses were so nice, and they would joke with him, laugh with him, and everything else. The nurses came in and they greeted me pleasantly,” she said.

“I also complimented the sister who was the head of that ward for the treatment. Helen Joseph is a little bit tired, you can see that, but I would say he got five-star treatment. I never saw any dirty linen. I never saw anything untoward. The patients were happy there, and they liked the food. Whichever ward it was. When he went to the surgical ward, the same thing. Clean linen, very pleasantly spoken to by the nurses.”

A beacon of compassion

By the third week, Pretorius had undergone surgery and comprehensive evaluations. Concerns about his homelessness and potential discharge were addressed with understanding and compassion. Verwey expressed her concerns to the ward sister, who assured her that Pretorius could stay until a shelter was arranged.

“I said, ‘sorry, I’ve got a huge concern that we cannot put Kareltjie back on the street. He is homeless. He is destitute. I’m trying to find him a shelter. She said, ‘Okay, fine, that’s not a problem, absolutely he can stay’. She said they were short of beds but understood the situation,” said Verwey.

“Everyone was very pleasant, very kind. They were never rude to Kareltjie or treated him in any bad way. They spoke to him with the utmost respect, and they treated him with such kindness and dignity, I don’t think he even realised that people can be so kind. I would say it might be a one-star hospital, but he got five-star service.”

With the help of the community, Pretorius was eventually placed in a shelter in Heidelberg.

“The hospital does need refurbishment. But I cannot fault the doctors who greeted me in the passage. I cannot fault the nursing staff in any way. I cannot even fault the security people. At no time ever did I see any of those patients mistreated, especially by the nurses. They were always cheerful and cracking jokes,” she said.

“Yes, it is an old hospital. Yes, they are busy upgrading it. Yes, budgets are restricted. However, there are good people there and those who dedicate their service to helping others get well.”

On July 31st 2024, Pauline Mitchell (70) was taken to the emergency room without realising she had sepsis. Her body had shut down, and it took the medical team two-and-a-half hours to stabilise her.

‘Excellent service’

“They admitted me to high care, the service there was excellent. On the Friday I had a heart attack. Lucky for me, there was a cardio team sitting talking to a patient, right next to me. I was kept there till the seventh, and I received excellent care. I bathed daily in my bed because when you’re in high care, they look after you continuously,” she said.

Mitchell was then moved to ward 10, where she received continuous care. She highlighted the cleanliness and the dedication of the nurses, who went above and beyond even though it was evident that they were short staffed.

“There’s 32 beds. I think there were maybe five or six nurses, they were very short staffed but they did their best all the time. I came out after 14 days, I was given all my medication. My follow-up care has been excellent,” she said.

Mitchell described the nurses as incredibly friendly and the interns as very attentive. She recalled that there was a woman in the opposite bed who died, and the staff moved her as quickly as they could to prepare her for her family.

“The hospital needs some love, she really does, let’s face it. But the treatment I received was A1. We got three square meals a day, there was the odd stain on it but the linen was clean, the staff were approachable, they greeted you every single day despite being short staffed,” she said.

Mitchell contrasted her experience with a previous negative experience she had at a private facility in Rosebank.

‘I would pick Helen Joseph Hospital any day’

“In 2014 I had a bad experience in Rosebank, and if you said to me, here’s Rosebank and here’s Helen Joseph, they’ll both treat you, even without medical aid, I would pick Helen Joseph Hospital any day,” she said.

One former patient who asked to remain anonymous said she spent 12 days in the hospital and she had no complaints about her treatment.

“The nurses were friendly, kind and efficient, except for one or two. The toilets were fully functional, only the basin in the toilets had cold water. The ward itself was well maintained with clean linen and such. Some of the doctors and interns could learn some bedside manners. I would say it is challenging for patients, but also for people who work there because of a shortage of functioning medical equipment and too little staff,” she said.

Calls for urgent reform

The South African Medical Association extended its sympathy to London and all those who suffer due to the dire circumstances in the public healthcare sector.

“This incident highlights broader systemic failures that are putting patients and healthcare practitioners alike under immense strain, and urgent action is needed,” said Dr Mzulungile Theo Nodikida, the association’s CEO.

The association acknowledges that National Health Insurance (NHI) is designed to ensure equitable healthcare access for all South Africans. However, the incident at Helen Joseph Hospital highlights a more pressing issue: the declining infrastructure and serious management problems within public healthcare facilities. It called for the reallocation of funds to urgently enhance healthcare infrastructure, improve governance, and address critical service delivery gaps.

“Without first rebuilding the foundations of the public healthcare system, NHI alone cannot fulfil its promise of quality care for all,” Nodikida said.

Sama also acknowledged the frustrations and fears experienced by patients within the public health system, and expressed its heartfelt sympathy to those affected by inadequate care.

“It is essential to underscore that healthcare practitioners are working under extraordinarily difficult conditions, including overwhelming workloads, burnout, and resource shortages. While these systemic issues do not excuse the behaviour described by the patient in the video, they contribute to an environment where the quality of care is severely compromised.”

The organisation called on all healthcare practitioners to continue prioritising patients’ best interests and wellbeing, even in challenging circumstances.

“We recognise the pressures faced but emphasise that every patient deserves dignity and compassionate care... Our patients deserve better, and so do our healthcare practitioners,” said Nodikida. DM

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South Africa

Comfort in crisis

A beacon of compassion

‘Excellent service’

‘I would pick Helen Joseph Hospital any day’

Calls for urgent reform