Tembisa Hospital: not enough staff, beds pose huge challenge
They are running with only about 40 per cent of the nurses that are really needed - Bloom
Tembisa Hospital is trying to come up with innovative ways to cope with massive overcrowding and huge staff shortages.
This was the major impression of Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng shadow health MEC, following his oversight inspection at the hospital on May 29.He was accompanied by DA MPL Dr Neil Campbell, local DA Constituency Head Graham Gersbach MPL and DA Ekurhuleni Councillor Eulbri Kubayi.The hospital serves a population of 2.5 million and delivers 16 000 babies a year, the second highest number in Gauteng.
“The large increase in patient numbers often results in patients having to sleep on stretchers or mattresses on the floor, particularly in casualty and in the medical wards. There are 840 beds but there can be close to 1 000 admitted patients at busy periods,” Bloom said.
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Hospital CEO Dr Lekopane Mogaladi said there were usually 200 medical patients a day but only 176 beds in the medical wards.
The 30-bed psychiatric ward is also usually full, so psychiatric patients have to be placed in other wards which can cause security and other problems.
Bloom said the hospital currently has 2118 staff but Gauteng Health Department has only given permission to fill four out of 49 posts.
“We were told, however, that according to international norms and standards, the hospital should have at least 628 more nurses to provide a proper service to patients. They are running with only about 40 per cent of the nurses that are really needed,” he added.
The dire shortage of staff puts extreme strain on them and increases the risk of medical negligence which leads to large payouts that strain the health budget further.
“I was encouraged by Dr Mogaladi’s plan with a private partner to open a prefabricated medical ward with 24 beds in August, bypassing the dysfunctional Department of Infrastructure Development which usually takes years to build anything. He is also trying innovative ways like block bookings to bring down the waiting periods for patients,” said Bloom.
A new CT scanner is due to arrive in December to replace a machine that is slow and often breaks down.
Bloom reckons Tembisa Hospital would benefit if Gauteng Health Department expanded Edenvale Hospital and built a new hospital in Kempton Park, which would give patients alternative hospitals to visit in a large catchment area.
“I am concerned that psychiatric patients are kept at this hospital for long periods of time as there are not enough beds for them at Weskoppies Mental Hospital. They should only be at Tembisa Hospital for 72 hours observation before they are discharged or sent to a longer-term facility.
“I hope Gauteng Health Department reconsiders its staff freeze and assists this hospital to be properly staffed and equipped to serve a large and growing population,” added Bloom.
