Hospitals, both public and private face accusations of medical negligence, mistreatment, and poor care, according to reports.
Several complaints lodged in September, marking an increase from previous months, may constitute medical negligence and require investigation by authorities. Notably, most grievances concerned private hospitals.
In one case, the daughter of an 82-year-old patient alleged her father suffered verbal abuse, inadequate care, and developed bedsores whilst hospitalised in a private facility.
She claimed, “They spoke to him rudely, insulted him, and left him hungry because he couldn’t eat independently. He contracted a hospital-acquired infection, worsening his condition.”
Another incident involved a woman who visited an orthopaedic specialist for shoulder pain. Technical issues prevented both the doctor and physiotherapist from accessing her X-ray, necessitating a repeat examination elsewhere.
Two cases of potential medical negligence in ophthalmology were reported. One patient claimed to have lost sight in one eye following cataract surgery due to infection.
Another alleged near-complete vision loss a year after undergoing corneal surgery.
Other complaints included a young HIV patient whose mother claimed delayed treatment due to a doctor’s failure to communicate test results, and a woman who developed severe kidney problems allegedly due to her gynaecologist’s delayed diagnosis.
The Patient Observatory recorded six potential medical negligence cases in September. Whilst not investigating these claims, the Observatory refers citizens to the police or legal counsel.
Additional concerns raised by patients included drug shortages, particularly specialised treatments, and difficulties accessing necessary healthcare services.
Some elderly patients reported challenges in obtaining nursing support and transportation to medical appointments.
The Observatory also noted complaints about the limited number of physiotherapy sessions covered by the General Health System and delays in including certain medications in the system’s coverage.
