Nowhere to go for 109 psychiatric patients in Gauteng

More than 100 psychiatric patients cannot be discharged from state hospitals because no suitable facilities can be found for them in Gauteng.

Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa confirmed‚ in a written reply to questions in the provincial legislature‚ that 109 patients were affected.

Democratic Alliance MPL Jack Bloom‚ who asked the questions‚ said on Monday that it cost about R6.8 million a month to keep these patients in three psychiatric hospitals:

● Weskoppies Hospital - 51 patients costing R53‚000 a month each

● Sterkfontein Hospital - 38 patients costing R47‚000 a month each

● Tara Hospital - 18 patients costing R129‚000 a month each

Ramokgopa said in her reply that patients were discharged once they were stable‚ as assessed by a multi-disciplinary professional team.

If they are unable to live alone or with family‚ they are discharged to Contracted Care Centres or licensed NGOs. The subsidy for mental health patients in approved NGOs ranges from R1‚249 to R4‚096 per month.

“The solution is to increase the subsidy so that more NGOs are able to take discharged psychiatric patients and provide the continuing care that they need‚” said a statement by Bloom.

“Meanwhile‚ many patients desperately need treatment at psychiatric hospitals but cannot be admitted because beds are occupied by patients who should have been discharged. This is not a good situation and changes are needed so that psychiatric patients get good care at every level of the system‚” he added.

Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu resigned earlier this year after health ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba found that the Department of Health was negligent when it moved 1‚900 patients from Life healthcare to poorly equipped NGOs. Nearly 100 people died afterwards who did not receive adequate care.