Question NW3449 to the Minister of Health
20 October 2015 - NW3449
Redelinghuys, Mr MH to ask the Minister of Health
(1)With reference to his reply to question 1863 on 5 August 2015, (a) what is the average waiting time at the Odi District Hospital in Mabopane and (b) how does his department intend to improve the specified average waiting time at the specified hospital; (2) how many ambulances currently serve the specified hospital; (3) whether additional ambulances will be purchased; if so, by what date?
Reply:
- The average waiting times for Odi District Hospital in Mabopane for the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2015/16 are as follows:
(a) (i) Registration ( opening or retrieving of a file): 30 minutes
(ii) Waiting time in OPD: 130 minutes
(iii) Waiting time at the Pharmacy: 100 minutes
(iv) Waiting time Casualty depends on the Priority of the Patient. The average of non serious patients is 120 minutes.
b) The following are measures that the hospital has introduced improve long waiting times:
(i) The CEO and Hospital management conduct daily walkabouts to check patient’s queues, but also how the hospital staff deal with clients/patients.
(ii) The hospital has in place courtesy managers who are always at the frontline to closely monitor queues and how clients/ patients are assisted
The following are future plans for the Hospital:
(iii) To renovate the Pharmacy by adding more dispensing windows
(iv) To add additional staff to records so that clients are assisted timely
(v) To engage and educate the community to use Primary Health Care and Community Health Centres and the importance of appropriate referral.
(2) Odi Hospital falls under Region 1 of Tshwane Health District. Currently there are Emergency Medical Services Stations in the region namely Odi, Rosslyn, Jabulani and Ga-Rankuwa. There are 24 ambulances which are operational however by end of September 2015, a total of 16 ambulances out of the 24 ambulances were operational. A total of 8 of the ambulances had either gone for regular service, breakdown repairs or accident damage.
(3) Gauteng Province EMS is currently in the process of procuring 160 ambulances for the 2015/16 financial year. These ambulances will be distributed equitably throughout the Province.
END.