Easing the burden: LRH devises ‘one attendant per patient’ policy

New scheme to be implemented soon; 80 people hired for security purposes

PESHAWAR: The management of Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) has devised a new policy to reduce influx of attendants who accompany patients. The initiative will ultimately improve delivery of services.

As per the new policy, only one attendant will be allowed with one patient on the hospital premises. In addition, around 80 people have been hired for security purposes.

Officials privy to the development told The Express Tribune the decision was taken after LRH’s management planned to take steps to reduce overcrowding at the facility that was directly influencing and burdening available resources.

“If you visit the hospital, you will see people outside every ward – some sleeping, some talking, some eating and leaving behind trash,” said a senior health official dealing with LRH’s management sector.

He added overcrowding had created hurdles in the delivery of health services.

According to the official, no one can be blamed since it is customary for people in our culture to enquire after the health of their sick relatives. “If you do not visit your relatives when they are ill, they will not enquire after you either,” he said.

However, the official said cultural norms should be practised at home and not at hospitals since the situation at LRH does not favour them.



“The resources at the hospital are already overburdened and repeated visits cause problems for the management – we spend a lot of money on cleaning wards and verandas where people create temporary makeshifts,” he said.

He added people throw leftover food in the open which attracts rats, this exacerbates the misery of health staffers as well as that of patients.

Imposition

According to the official, the new policy includes treating patients with dignity and providing accurate diagnosis. He added quality teaching for all medical and non-medical trainee students will be provided and transparency and justice will be ensured.

When contacted, assistant media manager Muhammad Asim confirmed the developments, saying the strategy has been devised but has not been implemented.

“The decision has been taken by the members of board of governors who have also issued directives for its implementation as soon as possible,” Asim said. “Since we have just finalised the policy, it will take a day or two to implement it.”

Asim added an average of three attendants accompany one patient currently.

“Now, if you have 50 patients in a ward, an average of 150 attendants, including children, are at the facility,” he said.

Asim explained the new policy clearly states only one person will attend a patient at the hospital and a security firm was hired to provide security for the hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2016.