Staff shortage, poor management ultimately resulted in deaths of 3 patients from Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital - health ombud
The ombud revealed its findings on Wednesday into the treatment complictations and deaths of phychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Hospital and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
Health Ombud, Professor Taole Mokoena. Picture: @SAgovnews/X
JOHANNESBURG - The health ombud said that an acute staff shortage had resulted in poor management and ultimately the deaths of three patients from the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital.
The ombud revealed its findings on Wednesday into the treatment complications and deaths of psychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Hospital and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
The incidents, which occurred in July and August last year, were investigated in terms of section 81a of the National Health Amendment Act, 2013.
The report revealed gross mismanagement, failure to provide urgent medical care, lack of functional equipment, and extreme infrastructural deficiencies.
Health Ombud Professor Taole Mokoena said that the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital in particular faced an accuste shortage of staff.
"As a result, the hospital is working at 53 percent of its commissioned capacity. The hospital operates some of the shifts without professional nurses. Indeed, both the mental hospital and the Robert Sobukwe Hospital have such a shortage of nurses that the hospitals, they use enrolled nurses and enrolled nursing assistants to be in charge of high-acuity units. The nursing and the medical staff do not keep up to date with patients' vital signs and there was generally poor record keeping."