WATCH | Gauteng health MEC defends treatment of viral patient who ‘lay in my faeces for a day’ at hospital

Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has defended Helen Joseph Hospital staff in Johannesburg after a video of a man, who had been hospitalised for two weeks, complained about “uncaring” staff, saying he lay for a day in his “faeces” at the state hospital. 

The video of Thomas “Tom London” Holmes complaining about staff at the hospital went viral on social media at the weekend.

“Welcome to the Helen Joseph circus hospital,” he said before showing poor bathroom and toilet infrastructure. One of the two toilets did not have toilet paper for patients at the time. 

“I was rushed here on the 25th [August] because I had pneumonia. I slept in casualty for three days. I had no pillow or blanket. On the second night a nurse brought me a blanket. I lost control of my bowels. There were no bathroom facilities so I lay in my faeces for a day before I kept making a fuss about being moved.” 

In the video Holmes complained about the “uncaring” attitude of doctors when attending to patients. 

“Two days ago a team of young doctors came to do a lumbar puncture on [a patient in a bed near to me]. While they were sticking needles in him, and he was screaming like an animal, they were discussing their bonuses and cars. The doctors who run about here treat the patients like cockroaches.” 

While Holmes did not have good reviews for the hospital's doctors, junior and senior, he applauded two doctors who treated him for part of his treatment.

With the help of donations from the public, he moved to Morningside Clinic for further treatment at the weekend. He had received close to the R120,000 he needed to pay for the private care, he said.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has asked a member of his team to discuss conditions at the hospital with him and to possibly meet in person.

Holmes said he would appreciate the opportunity to speak to Lesufi as he could represent an ordinary person in a state healthcare facility.

"My complaints and my voice is not about me. Everyone who has been through Helen Joseph has the same complaints . It’s not my voice I’ll be speaking with, rather the voices of thousands of unhappy South Africans."

The MEC visited the hospital on Sunday to be briefed about the situation.

“Nkomo-Ralehoko met the management team of Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH) together with senior officials from the department. She was appraised about the care provided to Mr Thomas Holmes after his complaint on social media,” said department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba. 

“Tom London, 51, was admitted at the hospital on August 25. He was in the facility for 14 days, where he was cared for, subjected to tests and stabilised. On September 7 he signed a refusal of treatment form and discharged himself from hospital.

“Having received a briefing from the clinicians on the treatment given to Tom London, the department is satisfied adequate clinical care was discharged to manage his condition. In addition, the department is willing to allow an independent process to review the quality of clinical care provided to him while at the hospital.” 

Modiba conceded to the poor infrastructure issues Holmes complained about. 

“There are known infrastructure issues which are being attended to as part the maintenance and refurbishment programme. However, these have not had a material effect on the treatment given to patients admitted at the hospital.” 

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