BLOOM BARRED FROM NATALSPRUIT HOSPITAL

Last week on Thursday 2 April I was barred by security guards from doing an inspection visit to the new Natalspruit Hospital in Vosloorus.

Head of security Mr Vusi Mkhize appeared to  be waiting for me as I had announced earlier in the week that I was going to visit the hospital.

He stopped me and my colleague Dr Neil Campbell MPL by the car park, saying that he had to ask management permission for us to visit.

When we persisted we were stopped by the security gates, and a man came out and told us very rudely that we could not enter.

He called Neil Campbell "a child" and waved his finger threateningly, telling us to "go to hell" after identifying himself as Dan Molefe.

Part of the verbal exchange is captured on a recording I made on my cellphone (available on request).

The exchange goes like this:

Mkhize - you must come with an appointment here

Campbell - No, you do not need an appointment

Mkhize - I won't allow you to come in

Campbell - Get your finger out of my face

Molefe - I am saying you are not going to tell me what to do

Campbell- Get your finger out of my face

Mkhize - I will not allow you to come in ... make arrest ... You are not going to take my name ...

Molefe - You take mine, Dan Molefe, take mine, I am the one to talk to you, I am saying to you, you go to hell

It is utterly appalling that we were barred so aggressively from doing our jobs as elected representatives in checking up conditions at this hospital.

The reason I was visiting is because Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu had claimed at a sitting on Tuesday 31 March that the Electronic Document Management System was working well at the hospital, and that inpatients only faced a 13 minute wait, and outpatients a 45 minute wait.

I replied that this was not my observation when I visited the hospital in January this year, where I saw long queues and patients who said it was better at the old Natalspruit Hospital. I then said that I would visit the hospital to see for myself (see Hansard transcript below).

What are they trying to hide at the hospital by barring my visit?

Last year in July I was escorted out of the Helen Joseph Hospital because the Health MEC's office said that I did not have permission to be there.

In previous years I have been prevented from entering other hospitals, including Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital where my photograph was posted at the entrances.

The previous Speaker Lindiwe Maseko and the former Integrity Commissioner Jules Browde have endorsed my right to make unannounced visits to hospitals.

This latest incident reflects badly on Gauteng Premier David Makhura who says that he and his MECs will make unannounced visits, but allows his Health MEC to obstruct me in this matter.

I will be demanding answers about the poor behaviour of staff at the Natalspruit Hospital in barring us, and I will insist that every MPL has the right to make unannounced visits in terms of the Constitution so that we can see for ourselves what is happening in public institutions.

Draft Hansard of 31 March 2015

Mr BLOOM: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To MEC for Health [Question 4.HL005]:

"With regard to the electronic filing system at the new Natalspruit Hospital, will the MEC please indicate:

(i) how is this system supposed to work;

(ii) what problems are being experienced with this system;

(iii) whether all staff properly are trained to use the system;

(iv) what are the current assessed waiting periods for medicine, to

(v) receive a file, to see a doctor, and at outpatients respectively (please give separately for each category); and

(vi) when is it expected that the system will be operating optimally?

SPEAKER: Honourable MEC Mahlangu.

MEC MAHLANGU: Honourable Speaker. I am going to read this short answer very slowly so that probably the Member can have all the details. Answer to question (i) reads as follows:

(i) "Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) is used for the purpose of scanning paper medical records and any external paper record that a patient may bring to the hospital.

(ii) The EDM system is integrated with the current health information system that is medico that is being utilised for quite a long period of time at the hospital level and all other hospitals in the Province. Using any demographic field of the patient, a record can be called from either file directory or health information system by the user to view and edit new patient information.

(iii) There are no problems with the EDMS, as you are asking the question.

(iv) Staff training and development is ongoing, if people are facing glitches in the implementing the system there is always training that is being provided.

(v) Patients do not wait for files at the OPD as all patient files are electronic an each department manage its own files. The length of time taken for a patient to see a doctor varies as consultation varies from patient to patient. Inpatients, they wait for 13 minutes; outpatients, they wait for 45 minutes.

(vi) The last question, all patient records have been scanned and indexed. I am talking about 14 million pages that have been scanned at Natalspruit and Natalspruit alone into the EDMS system and usage of the system is being closely monitored. We are in a process of buying computers for the doctors as well so that wherever working station that they are, they can also add new additional information to the patient as and when they is new information to be added. Thank you.

SPEAKER: Any supplementary question or comments, Honourable Bloom.

Mr BLOOM: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have to say I am puzzled. I was at this hospital earlier this year. In fact patients, we are saying, and I hate to say it because it is a magnificent new hospital, but they say they preferred the old hospital because they had shorter waiting times.

The problem there they said when they came, every time they came they had to have their data re-inputted all the time; and there were lots of problems. I do not know; I am going to visit the hospital again. Perhaps the Honourable MEC wants to come with me. You will allow me to visit with her hopefully- [Laughter] ...but-

Well, I will visit it again because in fact there were lots of problems there; 13 minutes and 45 minutes, oh please. I mean I saw people waiting there from early morning. I do not know what data you are getting. Maybe this is a problem is that hospitals are not reporting accurately. I am certainly going there and I extend an invitation for you to come with me. We will look at the situation there.

I mean this was meant to be the flagship hospital. The hospital, the future and frankly when you go there and I know there are other colleagues in this House who have gone there. We were actually disappointed and patients were saying terrible things like it was better and quicker at the old hospital.

ENDS

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, April 7 2015

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