Pretoria – Jubilee District Hospital in Hammanskraal has been listed high on Gauteng’s dangerous hospitals list; institutions which are riddled by "adverse" incidents resulting in unintended harm to patients.
The hospital scored high during an assessment of provincial hospitals with serious adverse events (SAEs), brought about by an act of commission, or omission, rather than by the underlying disease or condition of the patient. The figures pertained to 2015.
The events included negligence, staff incompetence and system failure, a DA report said this week.
The party’s shadow MEC for health, Jack Bloom, said there was big concern over the fact that the small 551-bed facility had 51 SAEs, not far fewer than the 62 recorded at the much bigger 3 000-bed Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto.
He said: “Jubilee Hospital is the most dangerous hospital in Gauteng, as it recorded 51 SAEs despite being much smaller than Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital."
“An SAE is typically caused by a medical mistake that resulted in serious injury or even death. It should be investigated properly, with disciplinary and other measures taken to ensure patient safety is always given a high priority.”
The information used had come from the Gauteng Department of Health. “It is clear that poor management leads to a high number of SAEs,” said Bloom.
He said Tembisa hospital used to have the highest SAEs – 71 in 2013 – but had reduced those to 17 in 2015, an indication that bad incidents could be brought down with management changes.
Jubilee Hospital made news in 2011 when five premature babies died due to negligence.
Spokesperson for the Department of Health, Steve Mabona, said recent adverse effects at Jubilee Hospital were the result of late referrals from clinics for people with complications.
Jubilee Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital topped the list of dangerous hospitals, while Pholosong had 46, Leratong 30, Kopanong and Pretoria’s Odi both had 28.
Pretoria West had 23 SAEs last year. Sebokeng had 22 and the Far East Rand Hospital 21.
The city’s George Mukhari Hospital recorded nine and Steve Biko Academic Hospital three, while Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital had 10 adverse incidents in 2015.
Bloom said the high number of cases in the province, 503 in 2015, could be reduced if precautionary measures were applied.
“The total number of SAEs in the province only meant that the vast majority of patients were fortunately not victims of such incidents.
"Nevertheless, everything should be done to avoid patients dying instead of getting healed in our hospitals,” said Bloom.
Jubilee District Hospital is a 551-designated beds hospital, but only 446 are in use.
It serves a population of 355 905 in North West and 524 632 in Gauteng, according to District Health Information.
The hospital is a support base for 32 clinics, 11 in Gauteng and 21 in North West.