The mission statement of Booth Memorial Hospitals is to provide a compassionate, healing ministry in the name of Christ and for more than a century that is what the organisation has been offering patients in its care.
The Oranjezicht-based facility, which lies in the shadow of Table Mountain, is run by The Salvation Army, a worldwide Christian Church. It was established in 1901 and named after The Salvation Army founder, William Booth.
The Salvation Army offers health services through hospitals, clinics and wellness centres.
In 1917, the hospital became a maternity and nurses training hospital. A new building was opened in 1966. During its time as a maternity unit, Booth Memorial delivered 27 000 babies.
In the 1970s, the facility became a frail care hospital and in 1996 it was transformed into an 84-bed sub-acute step-down hospital caring for chronic, terminal and palliative patients.
Today the hospital operates as an intermittent care hospital, offering rehabilitation to patients recovering from long-term illnesses. These patients are referred to them by state-owned hospitals.
Major Yvonne Wood, Chaplin at the hospital, says the hospital has a therapeutic unit consisting of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to help patients in their recovery journey.
She adds that a social worker is employed to attend to the many social cases, state and disability pensioners.
Wood says: “The mission of the hospital is to provide a compassionate, healing ministry in the name of Christ. The hospital can accommodate 100 patients, who are referred from the major tertiary hospitals within the city bowl area although the hospital covers a wider catchment area.”
Wood says although they are subsidised by the government, they are always in need of funds.
“Finance is always a challenge. We are an organisation, so we always need funds. The building is well maintained but at the moment we need to replace the roof which is leaking. So, we would need funds for big projects like this.”
Wood says people can also donate items like non-perishable foods and pre-loved clothes (for men and women), toiletries and blankets.
She says they focus not only on physical healing but on the spiritual and emotional well-being of patients as well.
“The spiritual needs of patients and staff are catered for by the chaplaincy department. Communion is available on request by patients, and the chaplain offers bereavement counselling for families and, if requested, will counsel patients who are at the final stages of life.”
Wood says they are thankful to their staff who always put the needs of the patients first.
“It is a privilege to be able to serve the people of Cape Town particularly those who are marginalised and in financial need. We hope that we can continue to do that far into the future.”
Major Allister Wood, Manager at the hospital, says: “We are striving to maintain a high standard of medical and nursing care, even though we are not a private hospital, we are maintaining high standards. And we will strive to continue to do that.”
