Dereliction of duty in providing critical medical assistance when required to do so

CMC Ambulance service is a privately owned medical response service in Sandbaai Herm****, who truly don’t do their jobs and have put my health at risk on numerous occasions now, and they need to be held liable for their actions!

The company's website states: "We value you as a client. Through a professional and passionate approach we provide assistance in case of medical emergencies. We are solution orientated and our tailored pre-hospital emergency services can serve any clients needs" This is laughable based on my experiences.

The company's Facebook page profile of it's founder, Christo Prinsloo, states: "He had the vision of opening a service to help the community and to render a better more qualified service in our Overberg district" - let's see if you think he's achieving his goal once you hear my story.

I have major health issues and joined CMC Ambulance Service paying my monthly subscription. I am a severe Type 1 diabetic and when I experience low blood sugar levels I often have seizures and can lose consciousness. I gave CMC a full profile of my situation so they could attend to my medical needs correctly when called to assist me (by my sister as I am unable to). Unfortunately, my sister has had to call them to my house 5 times in the last 3 weeks when she has been unable to make contact with me after my monitor indicated my sugar was very low in the middle of the night.

On 4 of the 5 occasions CMC were called to my house, the paramedics refused to enter because I have 2 harmless dogs. The only time they have entered is when accompanied by my security company, which only happened twice, as they also refused to enter even when my security company was here to help, even though this is not needed.

The last call out was this morning, the owner, Christo Prinsloo, arrived to ‘treat me’ and was extremely rude and abrasive towards me. When my blood sugars are low, (this morning they were 1.3), I am not able to make sense or think rationally or walk. All I need is for them to give me sugar/glucose, either in the form of Energade (which I have stock of) or a dextrose drip. However, they refused to do either this morning and instead the owner lectured me on how I am not managing my health properly and refused to treat me!! He then told me ‘he’s not my hand****’ when I asked him to get me an Energade from the cupboard, as I was unable to walk there myself. Such a wonderful caring and empathetic approach to a client in need of emergency treatment from the owner of this service.

Eventually I asked the other paramedic to help me walk to the kitchen so that I could get one myself, which I did, However, this was over 30 minutes since the paramedics had arrived! In these 30 minutes Christo Prinsloo was lecturing me and going through my medications and questioning me on managing my health and asking for information that was not relevant, knowing that I cannot think straight or even walk.

He then proceeded to tell me how he will be removing me from their service as a client because I am ‘costing them money’, even though I pay a monthly subscription and any other accounts I have received from them!

Christo Prinsloo was so rude to me this morning I didn’t feel safe with him in my house anymore and told them to leave and that they were no longer welcome in my home. I am a single female and live alone, there were 3 big men in my house, and Christo Prinsloo was being so being aggressive towards me when I couldn’t even walk, let alone talk properly. He made no effort to treat me the way I needed to be treated medically, which was to be given glucose in any form, so that I would not have a seizure and would recover. I have had type 1, brittle and unaware diabetes for 23 years and have many complications, including organ failure. So when my body is battling with the organ failure and I have neurological flare ups, my blood sugars are hard to control. I have a dexcom G6 blood glucose sensor and a slimline T insulin pump, which act as an artificial pancreas to help me manage my blood sugars, however hiccups happen, and that’s why I joined the CMC Ambulance Service on a monthly subscription, so that when my body goes through these flare ups, I thought I would have the assistance I need to not die.

It's clear to me that CMC Ambulance Services in Herm**** is unable to provide the level of care required and I would strongly deter anyone from utilising their service. To berate a person when they are desperate for assistance and bluntly refuse to provide the required help they are contracted to do is wholly unacceptable!

Shame on Christo Prinsloo, his arrogant attitude and CMC Ambulance Services. Where is their humanity?

Stacey Maguire