Ambulance driver blocks hospital entrance
A PATIENT transport driver disrupted operations at a TB hospital yesterday when he blocked the main entrance after a “misunderstanding” over admin duties.
The EMS official transported a patient from Mthatha to the Nkqubela TB Hospital in NU6 Mdantsane, but caused a ruckus when he failed to observe protocol in handing over the patient.
A high-ranking health official said it is alleged the driver had failed to hand over the relevant paperwork and then refused to assist a porter in taking the patient from the back of the ambulance.
Instead, it is alleged, the driver simply pulled into the parking and did nothing to complete the handover to the staff at Nkqubela.
“The porter was assisted by the family member of the patient,” the official said.
The hospital CEO attempted to intervene, but the EMS official walked out of the hospital.
“The security guards stopped him and relayed the message that the CEO was saying he must stop so that he can address the misunderstanding over the patient handover,” the official said.
“It is alleged that instead of going back to the CEO, he stopped in the middle of the main entrance of the institution.”
The driver got out of the ambulance and left the premises in another vehicle and, according to the official, “plunging the institution into a crisis, risking the lives of the patients because it would mean emergency services would not have access to the institution.”
A tow truck was eventually arranged to remove the ambulance. —