More than 60 attacks on staff in Gauteng health facilities so far this year

There have been 61 attacks on Gauteng healthcare workers at the province's facilities since the beginning of the year, mostly by mental health patients, says the health department.  

Responding to questions at the Gauteng provincial legislature, health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said others incidents related to anger towards staff for various reasons, such as refusal to buy them items, patients trying to escape, angry relatives and patients linked to criminal activities.

“The attacks range from incidents where staff members were bitten, punched, hit on the face, robbed, or assaulted. These led to patients either being sedated, restrained, transferred to other wards or facilities, or being secluded and, in some instances, cases being opened with the police,” she said in her response.

The majority of the incidents happened at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital (21), Carletonville Hospital (nine), Far East Rand Hospital (nine), Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (seven), Thelle Mogoerane Hospital (four) and three at Kopanong Hospital, with other facilities accounting for fewer or no incidents.

Nkomo-Ralehoko said the department continued to take measures to equip staff to deal with attacks and to reduce them.

The measures included training staff on responding to aggression and violence. Others include improving the profiling so that attending staff have access to patient history and are aware of underlying conditions; continuous psychological and emotional support; and counselling to staff.

Some measures included the installation of CCTV cameras at strategic locations for monitoring purposes.

“Our goal is to minimise if not eradicate such incidents in our facilities.”

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.