Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said steps had been taken to reduce the number of avoidable incidents recorded in Gauteng hospitals, which led to soaring claims of medical negligence.
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- The number of avoidable incidents in Gauteng hospitals has increased from 6 910 during the 2021/2022 financial year to 7 143 in the 2022/2023 financial year.
- Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital had the highest number of incidents, with 1 191 reported.
- Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said steps had been taken to reduce the number of incidents.
The Gauteng health department recorded 7 143 avoidable incidents – also referred to as serious adverse events – in hospitals during the 2022/2023 financial year, which led to soaring claims of medical negligence.
These incidents resulted in unintended harm to the patient by an act of commission or omission rather than an underlying disease or condition.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko revealed this in a written reply to questions from the DA in the legislature on Monday.
This included how many serious adverse advents were recorded in 2022.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said the number had increased from a recorded 6 910 avoidable incidents reported in 2021/2022.
Last year, the department added, there were 1 954 deaths, resulting from avoidable incidents recorded in the province’s hospitals.
READ | Gauteng hospitals recorded almost 2 000 deaths due to negligence
Nkomo-Ralehoko said Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital had the highest number of avoidable incidents at 1 191, Steve Biko Academic Hospital had 528, George Mukhari Hospital 499, and Leratong Hospital 480.
Helen Joseph and Kalafong hospitals had 477 incidents each.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said the circumstances of death or injury were classified according to clinical administration, healthcare-associated infections, blood or blood products, medical device, behaviour, patient accident, and laboratory pathology.
She added:
Steps taken to ensure that these incidents are minimised include monitoring of reporting and capturing of serious incidents through the national database. All serious event cases identified in all facilities are reported within 24 hours of occurrence, immediately investigated and presented to the facility patient safety committee. Facility managers are conducting ongoing leadership walk rounds, and there is ongoing training of staff and students at nursing colleges on the management of serious incidents in hospitals.
The department reported receiving 157 new summonses in 2021 and it faced legal claims amounting to R1.6 billion in litigation for medical negligence last year.
In May, Nkomo-Ralehoko said, the department had brought down the rand value of medical legal claims and contingent liabilities to R20.8 billion over three years.
She added that medico-legal claims were still a major concern for the department.
However, as of the end of March, it had brought down the rand value of medico-legal claims and contingent liabilities to R20.8 billion.
READ | Gauteng Health MEC considers holding hospital CEOs accountable to drive down medico-legal claims
DA Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom said it was distressing serious hospital incidents continued to increase.
“These lead to injury or death to many patients and soaring claims for medical negligence.
“Our hospitals need better management, adequate staff and equipment, proper training and consequences for non-performance,” he added.