The poorly functioning ambulance service in Grahamstown is attributed to the low morale of ambulance staff induced by mismanagement and deplorable working conditions, says an anonymous member of the local ambulance services.
The poorly functioning ambulance service in Grahamstown is attributed to the low morale of ambulance staff induced by mismanagement and deplorable working conditions, says an anonymous member of the local ambulance services.
A source associated with Emergency and Medical Services (EMS), who spoke to Grocott’s Mail on condition of anonymity, said their response rate is poor because they often have only three ambulances per day operating in the whole of Grahamstown and the surrounding farms.
“If we have four on a given day, we consider ourselves lucky,” he explained. “The problem is that we have redundant vehicles which have recurring mechanical faults and high mileages.”
He added that this is why ambulance drivers often arrive late in emergencies. “Our response rate is poor to an extent that sometimes we arrive at the scene after the patient has died.”
EMS in the Port Elizabeth Metro region is responsible for rendering an ambulance service to residents throughout the Cacadu district and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. The Grahamstown EMS office, which is situated near Fort England Hospital, reports directly to the regional office in Port Elizabeth.
But it is not only the shortage of vehicles that is a problem, because the source said there is also a chronic shortage of staff and basic resources such as oxygen, stretchers and blankets. He believes the staff shortage “is due to the management removing practitioners from their operations and putting them in offices without clear job descriptions”.
Apparently, no protective clothing is given to staff and therefore they are exposed to contagious diseases.
He also says the emergency vehicles are not disinfected after carrying patients suffering from highly contagious diseases such as multi-drug resistant TB. “The health of the general public is at risk as they may easily catch such diseases,” he said.
He also asserted that the poor state of the ambulance service has a negative impact on the local community and that residents often vent their anger at the practitioners when things do not go as expected. “I want the residents to know that the problem is caused by lack of effective management in the PE Metro, and not by practitioners.”
Furthermore, he said “For almost three weeks we have been without radios, and practitioners used their personal cellphones to communicate with the control room.”
This means that staff struggle to report to the office about their whereabouts, the condition of the vehicle or even to ask for back-up.
Harry Orleyn, EMS acting head in the Port Elizabeth Metro, confirmed there were technical problems with radio communications but that the matter is being attended to. “A technician is being dispatched to attend to the matter, but I can’t say when exactly because this is being done through the head office in Bhisho,”
he told Grocott’s Mail on Tuesday.
He said the matter was only brought to his attention last Friday and that he acted on it immediately. Radio communication was restored on Wednesday morning. Orleyn said he was not aware of the shortage of ambulances or resources.
He denied that they do not issue protective clothing and argued that they supply them with gloves and face masks at all times.
He also said there is “stuff ” supplied to cleanse and disinfect ambulances after they have transported patients with contagious diseases. When asked to reveal the details of the supposed chemical he said: “Unfortunately, I don’t have those specifics because I am in an acting capacity due to the fact that our head is on leave.” He referred further inquiries to the Health Department’s provincial spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo who did not return any calls as promised.
The source also alleged that of all regions in the Eastern Cape, PE Metro is the only one which does not pay benefits to employees. “Allowances for working on public holidays, Sundays and overtime as well as danger allowance are not paid to employees.”
