Durban’s iconic Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital has been accredited as a level II trauma centre by the Trauma Society of South Africa (TSSA), assuring patients of the highest standards of emergency care at the facility.
This is according to Mande Toubkin, Netcare’s general manager: emergency, trauma, transplant and CSI, who says that the hospital is now one of just two facilities to be level II accredited in the eThekwini municipal region, the other being Netcare uMhlanga Hospital.
“Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital has long been an important private referral and treatment centre for trauma patients in the region. The hospital has consequently worked hard to meet the TSSA’s level II accreditation requirements, which assures that it can treat all levels of trauma,” notes Toubkin.
Pic: From left: Dr B Yelland and Dr KS McEwen, trauma doctors; Sr Allaina Govender, emergency department unit manager; Mr Heinrich Venter, hospital general manager; Dr DM Beere, director of the Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital trauma system; and Sr Ashika Kaliyan, deputy nursing manager at Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital.
Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital general manager, Heinrich Venter, says that the TSSA accreditation processes and inspection teams are most rigorous: “The facility is required to have necessary trauma systems in place in order to attain accreditation. These standards need to be maintained into the future, as they are monitored by the TSSA on an on-going basis,” adds Venter.
Dr Douglas Beere, the director of the Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital trauma system, points out that the TSSA has been conducting a nationwide process of accrediting trauma centres within both the private and public healthcare sectors in South Africa in recent years.
“The accreditation brings the facility in line with international trauma system trends and is a significant achievement. The hospital’s emergency department manager, Sr Allaina Govender, has been particularly involved in ensuring that we meet the TSSA requirements, and should be acknowledged for her considerable efforts,” he notes.
“The main aim of the TSSA’s accreditation initiative is to facilitate patients being directed to the most appropriate facility, thereby encouraging the best use of available resources and expertise,” explains Toubkin.
“Such an accreditation system has been shown internationally to encourage best practice, patient advocacy, patient safety and improved outcomes, and serves to strengthen provincial and national systems of trauma treatment. All of Netcare’s emergency facilities around the country are therefore working towards achieving TSSA accreditation.”
Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital is the fourth facility in the province to be independently accredited and only the second to achieve level II. As it is currently one of the highest-level trauma facilities in the province, it is considered by the TSSA to be a ‘lead’ private trauma centre within the region. There are only two accredited level 1 facilities in the private sector in South Africa, namely at Netcare Milpark Hospital and at Netcare Union Hospital, both of which are situated in Gauteng.
“The accreditation is the result of a great deal of work, and we are all are exceptionally pleased to have met the TSSA’s stringent requirements,” says Sr Allaina Govender.
“The dedicated doctors and staff at the Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital would like to thank the public for their trust and on-going support of our facility. We remain committed to providing the best possible care to the patients and communities we serve into the future,” she concludes.
Notes to editors
Netcare hospitals that are accredited by the Trauma Society of South Africa
KwaZulu-Natal
Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital – Level II
Netcare uMhlanga Hospital – Level II
Netcare Alberlito Hospital – Level III
Netcare Kingsway Hospital – Level III
Netcare St Anne’s Hospital – Level III
Western Cape
Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital – Level III
Netcare Kuilsriver Hospital – Level III
Gauteng
Netcare Milpark Hospital – Level I
Netcare Union Hospital – Level I
Netcare Sunninghill Hospital – Level II
Netcare Garden City Hospital – Level II
Netcare Unitas Hospital – Level II
Netcare Linksfield Hospital – Level III
Netcare Olivedale Hospital – Level III
Netcare Waterfall City Hospital – Level III
Netcare Krugersdorp Hospital – Level III
Netcare Pinehaven Hospital – Level III
Netcare Pretoria East Hospital – Level III
Netcare Montana Hospital – Level III
Ends
To find out more about the services offered through Netcare hospitals and other of the Group’s facilities, please contact Netcare’s customer service centre either by email at [email protected] or phone 0860 NETCARE (0860 638 2273). Note that the centre operates Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 to 16:30.
For more information on this media release, contact MNA at the contact details listed below.
Issued by: MNA on behalf of Netcare
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Meggan Saville and Estene Lotriet-Vorster
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]