2002 bed sores in Gauteng Hospitals

2 December 2019

Patients in Gauteng public hospitals have suffered 2002 hospital-acquired pressure sores in the last two years, which is a terrible indicator of poor health care.

This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Masuku “a hospital-acquired pressure sore is an injury to the skin or underlying tissue caused by pressure from a hard surface against the skin that limits blood flow to the skin such as a bed or a wheelchair for prolonged time.”

Steve Biko Hospital is the worst Hospital by far for bed sores - 611 bed sores recorded from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2019.

Other hospitals with high numbers of bed sores in this two year period include the following:

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (CHBH)  - 253 bed sores

Helen Joseph Hospital - 241

Far East Rand Hospital - 136

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital (CMJH) - 131

Sebokeng Hospital - 120

George Mukhari Hospital - 118

KalafongHospital  - 82

ThelleMogoerane Hospital - 79

Leratong Hospital - 61

Tambo Memorial Hospital - 58

According to the figures, which I hope are real and not due to a lack of proper monitoring, the following 8 hospitals had no bed sores at all over this period:

Mamelodi Hospital

RahimaMoosa Hospital

Heidelberg Hospital

Jubilee Hospital

Pretoria West Hospital

Tshwane District Hospital

South Rand Hospital

Bheki Mlangeni Hospital

Masuku comments that “the central hospitals are leading in the number of reported hospital-acquired pressure sores due to the high number of high risk patients seen at the specialized level of care.” Furthermore, “the tertiary hospitals have an increased number of reported hospital-acquired pressure sores in the 2018/19 financial year due to improved reporting."

I am concerned at the disturbing high numbers at certain hospitals bearing in mind the different categories. Steve Biko Hospital clearly has to take special measures as it is so much higher than the other central hospitals - 611 compared to 253 at CHBH, 131 at CMJH,  and 118 at George Mukhari.

Why is it that of the three tertiary hospitals, Helen Joseph has 241 reported bed sores, Kalafong has 82 and only 26 at Tembisa hospital?

And of the regional hospitals, why does Far East Rand have 136 bed sores, Sebokeng has 120 and ThelleMogoerane has 79, while others managed to achieve zero bed sores?

No compensation is provided to patients who suffer bed sores although there have been court cases where financial recompense has been ordered.

I hope that more attention is paid to avoiding bed sores with proper monitoring and dedicated nursing care.

Issued byJack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 2 December 2019