Dokters staar finansiële krisis in die gesig

Wat gaan aan by Netcare?

JANNIE DU PLESSIS – VAALWEEKBLAD

VEREENIGING. – Die laaste dag van die maand Februarie het verlede Donderdag vir dokters en tandartse van die Medicross sentrum in Drie Riviere in ‘n nagmerrie ontaard toe toerusting wat hul brood en botter is, sonder meer deur Netcare van die perseel verwyder is.
Die toerusting en meubels wat in die gebou gebruik is, is deur Netcare verskaf en dokters en tandartse is nou radeloos. Van hul persoonlike toerusting is ook deur Netcare van die perseel verwyder en hulle sukkel nou dat Netcare die toerusting terug besorg.
Die dokters en tandarste het egter reeds toerusting bestel maar nie een van die dokters of tandartse het die die afgelope twee maande hul konsultasie fooie van Netcare ontvang nie. Sommige dokters het geld moes leen om hul praktyke aan die gang te hou en kos op die tafel te sit.

Netcare het ‘n tyd gelede aangekondig dat hulle ‘n Seksie 198 kennisgewings landwyd uitgevaardig het aan 516 werknemers om ‘n personeelvermindering van ongeveer 0.7% van die ongeveer 20 000 werknemers te implimenteer.
Onderhandeling by Medicross Vereeniging het voor einde van Februarie reeds ‘n geruime tyd plaasgevind. Medicross Vereeniging huisves sewe dokters en ses tandartse wat op kontrak basis vir Netcare werk. Sommige van die tandartse en dokters is aandeelhouers in die geboue wat intussen aan die Midvaal Hospitaal verkoop is.

Volgens ‘n persverklaring wat Vrydag 1 Maart deur Netcare uitgereik is, het die Medicross kliniek finansieël onvatbaar geword wat tot die besluit van die sluiting gelei het. Die sluiting het Donderdag om middernag van krag geword. Volgens die persverklaring het Netcare die dokters tot 14:00 Donderdag 28 Februarie gegee om die toerusting oor te koop. Die dokters en tandartse was in die proses van onderhandelings toe sleepwaens en bakkies net na 14:00 opdaag en toerusting links en regs van die perseel gelaai is. ‘n Ongelukkigheid heers egter deurdat die kontrak en aanbod om die toerusting oor te koop, volgens die dokters eers teen middernag verstryk het.
Volgens die dokters is dit nog steeds chaoties by Medicross maar hulle gaan alles in hul vermoë doen om so gou moontlik op die been te kom om hulle pasiënte te bedien.

LEES WAT DIE DOKTERS EN TANDARTSE Sê IN VAALWEEKBLAD 6 MAART

SIEN DIE PERSVERKLARING HIERONDER UITGEREIK OP 1 MAART 2019

Medicross

Media statement

Closure of Medicross Vereeniging

Friday, 1 March 2019, After approximately 24 years of providing primary healthcare services to the community of the Vaal Triangle, Medicross Vereeniging has closed its doors yesterday, confirmed Salome Liebenberg, general manager: operations at Medicross.

“We wish to thank the people of Vereeniging and surrounding areas for their support through the years. Unfortunately, the clinic has been financially unsustainable for a considerable time and Medicross has been attempting for some time to negotiate an alternative operating model with the GPs and dentists. The new operating model was refused by the practitioners and Medicross has, regrettably, had no other option than to discontinue its service in Vereeniging,” Liebenberg says.

“The doctors and dentists who own the premises from which Medicross operated will remain at the facility. Medicross had given the doctors and dentists the option to buy the Medicross-owned equipment in the facility. This offer expired at 14:00 on 28 February, due to the fact that Medicross was given until midnight on that day to vacate the premises.

“The practitioners chose not to buy any of the equipment, and Medicross therefore took steps to retain its equipment, in order to enable the new practice, which will not be a Medicross administered and branded facility, to start its operations,” Liebenberg explains.

“Furniture and other items that were used in the clinic and belonged to Medicross, were donated to various charities providing services to the Vereeniging community,” she adds.

“We wish to reassure existing patients that their clinical information will remain with their treating doctors at the new practice,” she adds.

“Unfortunately, as the negotiations for a different operating model with the GPs and dentists were unsuccessful, we regrettably had to embark on a process of consultation with our staff members who provided administrative and nursing services at the centre.

“Our aim was to find other positions for as many as possible of the staff members, although most of the staff members will be employed by the new practice. Some chose to resign and the remainder were given retrenchment packages. We thank the staff for their loyal and valued service to Medicross and the patients we served, and wish them well for the future,” Liebenberg explains.

Ends

Issued by: MNA on behalf of Medicross

Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Meggan Saville and Estene Lotriet-Vorster

Telephone: (011) 469 3016 Email: martina@mnapr.co.za, graeme@mnapr.co.za, meggan@mnapr.co.za or estene@mnapr.co.za