Joburg hospital short of 364 nurses 

16 August 2016

The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is short of 364 nurses, and has a total of 436 vacancies in all staff positions.

This information is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

The hospital currently employs 4716 people in the following categories:

Support staff - 1065

Admin staff - 520

Nursing staff - 2201

Medical staff - 625

Allied staff - 305

The major shortage is in nursing, but other shortages are as follows:

Support staff - 12

Admin staff - 21

Medical staff - 12

Allied staff - 27

According to Mahlangu, the primary reason for the loss of skilled staff is due to “better remuneration in the private sector and the opportunity for self-employment.”

She says that “there has been no impact on patient care related to the loss of staff as vacant posts have been filled”.

I am concerned by the nursing shortage at the hospital which surely does affect the quality of patient care.

Many nurses are close to retirement age, so more training and recruitment is needed to fill the nursing posts at this major hospital.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 16 August 2016