A nurse from Lusikisiki’s St Elizabeth Hospital has been arrested for allegedly stealing patient records. The arrest on Monday followed suspicions the woman was part of a scam, which encourages patients to take legal action for various reasons against the Department of Health.
Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said: “She was caught red-handed trying to steal a patient file, and because she has been under surveillance we immediately handed her over the authorities.” Kupelo said that nurses in the hospital allegedly colluded with lawyers to take the department to court.
“They hand potentially damaging records to these lawyers they are in cahoots with and then taunt families and convince them to start litigation against the department. “There are currently three such cases in court as we speak, and in one case a family told of how they were taken to Durban, where they met with a “doctor” and a “lawyer”, who persuaded them to litigate.”
Kupelo said the name of the arrested nurse was mentioned during that meeting, where the family was advised that she would assist them wherever possible. “Whenever we have a litigation case against us the folders go missing,” he added.
Lusikisiki police could not provide details on the arrest and court appearance by late yesterday afternoon.
Source: Eastern Cape Health
