Hospitals and clinics are guided by a patient's charter on how to deal with members of the public in their care.

Hospitals and clinics are guided by a patient's charter on how to deal with members of the public in their care.

Ailing people visit these health institutions with the hope of getting prompt medical assistance from doctors and nurses.

Thus, the actions of nurses who chased away a very ill patient on two consecutive days at the KaNyamazane Clinic, outside Nelspruit, should be condemned in the strongest terms.

Lilian Chiloane was turned away by nurses because there were no doctors.

This is unacceptable.

Turning away patients or sending them home to die is a shameless act that is against the ethics of the nursing profession.

Whoever is responsible for the shameful deed must face censure with immediate effect.