TM
Tiisetso MOKHUTSO-MAMAKOKO

1 reviews | Active since Dec 2021

07 Dec 2021, 23:05

Refused a covid test during a pandemic

Evening My partner and I visited lancet covid testing station today in Brenthurst, just outside the hospital. For the lack of the gentleman's name tag or anything I did not catch his name. He reached out his hand to hold my phone for which I was concerned as he was wearing the same gloves he wore when he tested the previous patient. I requested to hold the phone whilst showing him my Dr's referral and he refused. I gave him my phone to hold hesitantly under duress as I am desperately seeking help. Nevertheless I requested to have a throat swab as I have grommets inserted and because I feared an ear leak which my mother had experienced with her previous nose swab and ended up seeing an ENT specialist. The guy refused the throat swab. I asked why he couldn't give me reason. I told him I'm not trying to be difficult however at least I provided you a reason the least you could do is provide me a reason for the refusal. I then requested his managers details, he gave me his name Aubrey and he refused to give me the managers surname. He only told me it was Aubrey and if I wanted I can go into the hospital and will find him on the 4th floor. This gentleman is advising me to go and expose more people inside the hospital with Covid when he does not know whether I'm positive or negative, surely this should be alarming for you guys as well. I refused to do that citing precautionary measures being necessary considering my symptoms and recent exposure to someone with the Covid virus. I then requested that he call him on his phone, he refused but at least offered me Aubrey Mafologele's office number *** and I used my cellphone to call him (SURELY THIS IS A GAP IN YOUR OPERATION PROCESS). I relayed my request and cited my reason and he agreed for this test to be carried out. I sit with concern for the layman who could have been turned away like I was because of lack of knowledge, impatience and inability to escalate such an issue. I am concerned about the lack of accountability from a lancet staff who does not consider the risk that they would be releasing to society by refusing to test a person because they do not want to. It's important to give people knowledge, recommendations however do not bully them as this opens risk of spreading a virus during such a pandemic. This is disturbing service. I'd also like to request that you pay attention to cross infection. This gentleman only changed gloves because I asked him to, I wondered how many people he had tested using the same gloves the whole day, who are sadly not privy to medical protocols. I wondered whether this was just him being careless and negligent with patients or whether lancet is trying to save. I'm appalled by the service. Please look into this urgently!

Kind Regards Tiisetso Mokhutso-Mamakoko

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Replies (1)
Lancet
Lancet's reply08 Dec 2021, 15:36
Official
Good Day Tisetso

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please note we have logged a customer complaint task reference *** to have your concerns investigated and address. 
Regards 
Lancet Laboratories.