Question NW2606 to the Minister of Health
22 September 2023 - NW2606
Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health
(1)On what date will his department open and operationalise the 30-bed mental health facility in the Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga; (2) whether the mental health needs of the patients in the region will be catered for in their entirety and the demand for mental health services be met through the specified facility; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) how does the facility plan to ensure that mental health awareness is part and parcel of the nearby communities it will serve; (4) what services will the facility offer in the wide spectrum of mental health needs and/or services?
Reply:
1. The mental health facility was opened and operationalised with effect from 14 April 2023.
2. The facility provides a comprehensive package of mental health services to voluntary, assisted and involuntary mental health care users. It also provides child and adolescent mental health services on an outpatient basis and forensic mental observations that are conducted on an outpatient basis. The facility does not have capacity to admit State patients or accused that require forensic mental observations by a panel in terms of Section 79 of the Criminal Procedures Act, 1977. The facility also does not have inpatient beds for children and adolescents. Mpumalanga province is in a process of constructing a 220 bedded specialised psychiatric hospital that will provide specialised mental health services including forensic mental health services, inpatient child and adolescent mental health services as well as services for those mental health care users whose conditions and treatment plans require medium to long term hospital stay. This facility when commissioned will service the entire population of Mpumalanga.
3. The facility plans to collaborate with other stakeholders including schools, primary health care clinics, school health nurses, NGOs and mental health care users themselves in the area to educate the surrounding communities and raise awareness on mental health.
4. The facility offers:
- Inpatient and outpatient mental health services to voluntary, assisted and involuntary categories of mental health care users
- Outpatient child and adolescent mental health services
- Mental disorders, substance abuse and dual diagnosis treatment programmes
- Psychogeriatrics programmes
- Outpatient single psychiatrist forensic mental observations of accused in terms of the Criminal Procedures Act, and also
- Conduct mental health research and training
END.