One of the first things Tembisa Hospital’s newly appointed CEO did when he took over the role was to ask executive members to help themselves to a plate of food usually served to patients.
“That was a good exercise because they came back and I asked them whether they would serve that food in their homes to their children. All of them said without doubt they would not,” said Dr Ashley Mthunzi.
“That was a challenge, because if you cannot taste the pudding, you must not cook it or serve it,” he added. “Fundamentally, I wanted us to all be on the same page of owning whatever we are dishing. Until we get to a point where our own relatives can come and sleep at this hospital for treatment, we have not turned the tide.”
The seasoned medical professional is getting down to the nitty-gritty of turning what he calls “the hospital of death” into “the hospital of hope”.
Mthunzi joined the facility in April, first as acting CEO, while a cloud hung over it following last year’s suspension of its then head, Dr Lekopane Mogaladi, after damning findings by the health ombudsman. The ombud found Shonisani Lethole, a Covid-19-positive patient, died after he starved while in the hospital’s care.
Mthunzi said the ombud’s report was crucial in determining the improvements he seeks to make.
The 43-year-old, whose five-year appointment was announced last month, was previously CEO at Pholosong Hospital in Tsakane and acting CEO at Far East Rand Hospital in Springs.
Of the positions, Mthunzi said: “It demands a level of art to manage a hospital in the township because the demand will never be the same as that in the suburbs or urbanised areas. My passion lies with fixing hospitals in the townships because it also speaks to restoring dignity.”
Regarding Tembisa Hospital, Mthunzi said it was not intended to serve as many patients as it does. As the population grew, the infrastructure remained the same, making it inadequate to serve the public.
Everybody, including the MEC of health, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, knows demand is outstripping supply. Where we are seated [it’s] a time bomb and no one man can fix it. But there are things one can put in place that will ensure clinical governance is sound.
— Dr Ashley Mthunzi, CEO, Tembisa Hospital
As he works with the Gauteng health department to expand the casualty and maternity units, Mthunzi hinted there were plans to resuscitate the dormant Kempton Park Hospital, which would support Tembisa. The plans include an extra 300 maternity beds.
“Everybody, including the MEC of health, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, knows demand is outstripping supply. Where we are seated [it’s] a time bomb and no one man can fix it. But there are things one can put in place that will ensure clinical governance is sound,” Mthunzi said.
Among his immediate changes are improving the menu, ensuring more meetings and interaction with the executive, changing the management style and addressing the attitudes of staff.
On the latter, Mthunzi has introduced a programme called “I serve with a smile”. It is aimed at training nurses to be more sympathetic and approachable, with those excelling in this regard being eligible for incentives.
“Seventy percent of our complaints in a facility like this, a township facility, will be bad staff attitude, so you need to be intentional in addressing it,” he said.
“Patients wouldn’t mind waiting two hours for service if they were acknowledged and [provided explanations regarding delays, such as nurses attending to urgent patients]. The issue comes in when they watch nurses go up and down the corridors, talking among themselves and walking past as patients sit and wait.”
Nurses who consistently provided good service will be inducted into a wall of fame where, for as long as the hospital stands, their names will be engraved, highlighting them for their work.
Mthunzi looks forward to seeing the hospital receive a facelift, saying this would please staff and patients.
“Aesthetics are important so our patients can get better just by looking at the facility and not only the doctor laying their hands on them. That would be the second type of healing.”
He stressed that a lot of good comes out of Tembisa Hospital. Last year, for example, when Covid-19 hit, the facility had 151 Covid-19 beds. Within weeks it was able to hike that to 221 beds. This, Mthunzi said, was a move that showed the staff’s dedication to improving its health system.
Asked about timelines, he said: “I can say that in about a year people will start singing a different tune about Tembisa Hospital, but we are seeing a change already. We are seeing staff morale has gone up and they are eager to see the implementation of all the things we have told them about.
“Let us give Tembisa Hospital a chance.”
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