VEREENIGING.- Of the 779 psychiatric patients that were seen at the Kopanong Hospital from March 2016 to March 2017 only 536 could be placed in psychiatric wards.
According to Gauteng Health MMC, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, Kopanong Hospital in Vereeniging has one male psychiatric ward that can only accommodate 30 patients.
243 patients had to be placed in other wards over a one year period because it was full. This information was recently revealed by Ramokgopa in the Gauteng Legislature.
According to Ramokgopa, 779 psychiatric patients were seen from March 2016 to March this year, but only 536 could be placed in the psychiatric ward and this means that every month about 20 psychiatric patients are placed in ordinary wards which poses a threat to security.
Ramokgopa said, “If all usable beds are occupied then patients are placed temporarily in a male medical ward awaiting placement in a psychiatric ward as soon as a bed becomes available.”
She admitted that one patient was assaulted recently by a psychiatric patient, receiving a laceration above the eye.
“I know of another incident where a nurse was stabbed with scissors.”
Ramokgopa said that extra staff is needed for the psychiatric patients and that the specialised psychiatric ward for males will be completed soon.
The renovation of a female ward into a specialised psychiatric ward will also take place. There is apparently a problem of inadequate psychiatric wards at a number of state hospitals in Gauteng.
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