An internal probe by Karl Bremer Hospital into the circumstances surrounding a guard dragging a patient across the floor found that the security officer’s “lapse in judgment” was unacceptable.
The video of the widely shared incident showed the guard telling the visibly distressed patient, who was lying on the floor, to get up.
Hospital spokesperson Dwayne Evans told News24 a comprehensive investigation into the matter included reviewing medical records, interviewing staff, and analysing security footage.
The findings revealed that the individual in question had been medically assessed and discharged from the hospital but later returned to the emergency centre.
“The patient’s re-entry created a challenging and difficult situation for staff to manage, which ultimately escalated into the interaction captured in the video,” he said.
“While the behaviour of the individual presented difficulties, the lapse in judgment and human error by the contracted security provider in handling the situation remains unacceptable.
“This action is not reflective of the values or standards of Karl Bremer Hospital.”
Evans said the hospital regretted the incident and was training all security personnel to enhance their skills in conflict de-escalation, patient management, and adherence to hospital protocols.
Recommendations had also been made to develop and standardise policies for how outsourced security officials should conduct themselves in healthcare environments.
“We are also collaborating with our contracted security service providers, who have initiated their own internal investigation and taken proactive disciplinary steps.”
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