Question NW3015 to the Minister of Health
28 September 2023 - NW3015
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What (a) total number of healthcare workers have reported being victims of violence by mental healthcare users at public psychiatric facilities (i) in each of the past four years and (ii) since 1 January 2023, (b) are the relevant details of each incident, (c) are the details of the facilities where the incidents occurred in each case and (d) are the details of safety protocols and procedures are in place to protect healthcare workers at psychiatric facilities; (2) whether each province has different safety protocols and procedures; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether his department has mechanisms in place to monitor the implementation of safety protocols and procedures in each province; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) whether he will furnish Mrs M O Clarke with a copy of the occupational health and safety policy for public healthcare facilities; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The information on the tables below was obtained from provinces. Western Cape Province data includes all violent incidents by patients towards staff and not just mental health care users.
(a)(i); (b)(i); (c)(i)
|
(a)(i) |
(b)(i) |
(c)(i) |
||||
|
Province |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
||
|
Eastern Cape |
11 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled (kicked, punched, bitten, slapped, pulled) by mental health care users |
Elizabeth Donkin and Fort England Specialised Psychiatric Hospitals |
|
Free State |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
Four (4) staff members reported being physically assaulted or manhandled by mental health care users. One (1) got injured whilst separating mental health care users that were fighting and the other five(5) got accidentally injured whilst giving an injection or handling an aggressive user. |
Free State Psychiatric Complex, Phumelela hospital, Thebe and National hospitals |
|
KZN |
5 |
3 |
11 |
10 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled (kicked, punched, bitten, slapped, pushed, hit with an object) by mental health care users |
Madadeni, Town Hill, Ekuhlengeni, Umzimkhulu specialised psychiatric hospitals as well as at King Dinuzulu Complex |
|
Mpumalanga |
2 |
7 |
33 |
12 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled by mental health care users |
Mental health units/wards at Witbank, Rob Ferreira, KwaMhlanga, Mmametlhake, Embhuleni, Barberton Shongwe and Piet Retief Hospitals |
|
North West |
2 |
6 |
14 |
5 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled (stabbed with a pair of scissors, clapped, punched, attempted strangling, scratched, kicked, hit with objects by mental health care users |
Witrand, Potchefstroom, Job Shimankana Tabane, Klerksdorp/Tshepong Complex, and Moses Kotane Hospitals |
|
Western Cape |
No data |
16 |
20 |
74 |
Staff physical assaults by patients. (Data include all incidents and not limited to incidents of mental health care users in psychiatric hospitals) |
Psychiatric facilities and general facilities |
(a)(ii); (b)(ii); (c)(ii)
|
(a)(ii) |
(b)(ii) |
(c)(ii) |
|
|
Province |
Since 1 January 2023 |
||
|
Eastern Cape |
6 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled (shoved, beaten) by mental health care users |
Elizabeth Donkin and Fort England Specialised Psychiatric Hospitals |
|
Free State |
8 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled (pushed, punched) by mental health care users |
National and Thebe Hospitals |
|
KZN |
27 |
Twenty-two staff members were physically assaulted or manhandled (pushed, punched, kicked, clapped) by mental health care users. Two were held hostage whilst three fell and got injured whilst handling aggressive mental health care users |
Madadeni, Town Hill, Fort Napier, Ekuhlengeni specialised psychiatric hospitals as well as at King Dinuzulu Complex |
|
Mpumalanga |
6 |
Staff physically assaulted by mental health care users |
Witbank Hospital and Mammetlhake Hospital |
|
North West |
10 |
Staff physically assaulted or manhandled (hit with an object, head-butted, clapped, punched) by mental health care users |
Job Shimankana, Moses Kotane, Klerksdorp/Tshepong Complex |
|
Western Cape |
123 |
Staff physical assaults by patients. (Data include all incidents and not limited to incidents of mental health care users in psychiatric hospitals) |
Psychiatric facilities and general facilities |
We still await information from Gauteng, Limpopo and Northern Cape Provinces.
(d) Section 16 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No 85 of 1993) requires the Chief Executive Officer to have safety protocols and procedures in place. Information received from provinces indicates that various mechanisms and procedures are implemented to protect healthcare workers at psychiatric facilities and these include:
- Appointment of Hospital CEOs and District Managers according to Section 16(2 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act)
- Health and Safety Representatives and Committees are nominated and trained
- Conducting continuous risk assessments of mental health care users
- Searching of staff, patients and visitors for any dangerous weapons and illegal substances
- In-service training of staff on management of aggressive mental health care users
- Standard operating procedures for restraints and seclusion of mental health care users
2. The provinces and health facilities in terms of Section 16 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, No. 85 of 1993 designates that the ‘Chief Executive Officer’ - (Head of Department of the provincial department of Health or the Head of the health facility) - should have safety protocols and procedures in place.
3. While this is a function which is managed by health facility management in every health facility and supervised by provincial health departments, the NDoH, liaises with provincial occupational health units to provide support where required.
4. Please find attached, the occupational health and safety policy for the NDoH. NDoH is awaiting the health facility copies from the provinces.
END.