- Three-day customer care workshop aimed at improving service
- Hospital staff heavily criticised by MoH for unethical behaviour
- Scandalous incident in PMH maternity ward took matters to a crescendo
BONGANI MALUNGA
Princess Marina Referral Hospital (PMH) has responded to widespread complaints about deteriorating standards and insolence by drilling staff in customer service improvement.
Staff at the public hospital last week underwent three-day training aimed at improving service delivery after numerous incidents of bad manners and poor service delivery that often borders on negligence and sheer recklessness became indefensible.
The three-day workshop was conducted by the Ministry of Health (MoH). Authorities at the hospital say employees were trained in improved communication skills, proper telephone etiquette, and protocol.
Optimal customer satisfaction
Conflict resolution, which is critical to the service delivery industry, was also emphasised in the workshop. PMH staff was also drilled in patient care with humility, reasonable timeframes for customer service and prioritising optimal customer satisfaction.
In June MoH released a statement condemning the “unprofessional, unethical and unacceptable” conduct of some healthcare workers at PMH after a disturbing incident in a maternity ward where a patient and a newborn baby were the victims.
The incident gained public attention after a social media post by the patient detailing her ordeal went viral, sparking nationwide outrage that was aggravated as more people came forward with complaints of scandalous behaviour by staff at PMH.
Appropriate action
MoH ultimately acknowledged that the allegations bordered on professional negligence and assured members of the public that the culprits would face appropriate action if investigations proved wrongdoing.
In a statement released on 16 June, MoH apologised for the maternity ward patient’s ordeal after successfully tracing her.