IN AN unusual move the Gauteng department of health has suspended the chief executive of Johannesburg's Helen Joseph Hospital after a patient died in the queue.

IN AN unusual move the Gauteng department of health has suspended the chief executive of Johannesburg's Helen Joseph Hospital after a patient died in the queue.

Gladys Bogoshi's suspension follows the death of a domestic worker, Thabile Mlotshwa, who waited in a queue for nearly four hours to be treated - prompting the fury of her family and employers who accuse the hospital staff of negligence.

The department's reaction should raise eyebrows, given the health authorities' propensity for shying away from taking responsibility for similar occurrences in the past.

Instead, hospital administrations have been quick to blame such incidents on staff shortages and the government's failure to tackle the problem.

So the department's action is unprecedented and heralds a new era in public healthcare nationwide.