Gauteng’s health department has terminated the contract of a hospital it paid more than R320 million to in the past year for the treatment of “around 2378” patients with psychiatric disorders or severe intellectual disabilities. “It is important to note that the department cannot afford this‚ the budget allocation which was previously utilised on the said facility will be reprioritised accordingly‚” provincial health MEC Qedani Mahlangu said.A statement said the termination of the contract with Life Healthcare Esidimeni Hospital “is in line with the Mental Health Care Act no 17 of 2002‚ which encourages mental health care practitioners to treat mental health care users in the least restrictive environment”.Mahlangu said the department wants “to reduce psychiatric patients at facilities by discharging all those who are responding well to treatment and integrate them back to communities and afford them treatment at their respective homes”.“Patients that require further management will be referred to our hospitals which have psychiatric wards and this will help as patients will be treated closer to home‚” Mahlangu said.She added that the termination of the Life Healthcare Esidimeni Hospital contract would “will also assist our efforts to employ more employees at our psychiatric wards”...