No notice of death: Family told of ouma’s passing 8 days later
GONE: Ouma Pauline Francis passed away on 18 December. Picture supplied
The family of a 91-year-old ouma is beyond kwaad at Victoria Hospital staff who failed to inform them that she had died.
Sydney Francis said his mother Pauline was admitted on 3 December and passed away on 18 December.
But the Lavender Hill family only learned that she had died when they went to ask about her at the Wynberg hospital on 26 December.
“My mother had stomach issues and she said she wanted to go to Groote Schuur, but Victoria is closer so we went there,” he says.
“From the time she was there, we could not visit her because of Covid, but we called a few times and sometimes they told us she never had a file but other times there was.
“On Christmas Day, my brother called the hospital and a nurse said she would arrange a video call, but when the phone came to my mother, it was not her.
“My brother was so upset that he just put the phone down.
“The next day, my eldest brother went to the hospital to find out what was going on and they told him that my mother passed away on 18 December.
“They said they tried to call us, but that is pure nonsense because we gave four numbers for them to call and none of us even got a message.
“Since then we have been in and out of the hospital asking questions, but every time they just tell us that the people with answers are still off and we must wait for them to come back.”
According to Sydney, 63, Pauline passed away from fourth-degree bed sores and severe diarrhoea.
“When my mother went into hospital, she was a bit weak but she could talk, sit up and was still aware of her surroundings.
“I cannot believe the hospital can treat people like this.
“After we dropped her off at the hospital, the only time we saw her after that was at her funeral on 29 December.
“We were just so upset by this whole thing, and then we had to arrange for a funeral.
“We did not have time to make a formal complaint.
“The big issue for us now is that the hospital keeps making excuses and is not answering our questions, so we do not really know everything about what happened to my mother.”
Western Cape Health Department spokesperson Natalie Watlington said the matter is under investigation.
“We will make contact with the family and endeavour to provide the answers they are looking for following our investigation into the matter,” she said.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family for the loss of their grandmother and recognise that this is a difficult time for them.”