host posted on March 31, 2009 23:57
The National Hospital Network submitted a press release in April 2009 which included the following extracts:
Remove the red tape and let us train nurses: NHN
According to figures published by the South African Nursing Council, there are 212 806 Registered, Enrolled and Auxillary nurses in South Africa, serving a population of 48.6 million people. The ratio of members of the population to nurses is 229:1.
The SA Nursing Council (SANC) says that their figures include all nurses who are currently registered with the SANC and may well include nurses currently working abroad, nurses working in administrative jobs within the health sector and nurses who wish to remain registered but choose not to work.
Most recent World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics indicate that (3 European) countries with similar sized populations as South Africa have ‘nursing and midwifery personnel’ ratios of 138:1, 132:1 and 118:1 respectively.
The shortage of Registered Nurses in South Africa is therefore at critical levels and despite the increased burden of disease, wards in public sector hospitals have been forced to close. Furthermore, according to leading specialists efficient use cannot be made of sophisticated equipment, theatres and operating facilities in the public sector because of the shortage of nurses.
‘A commonly repeated statistic is that South Africa has an estimated shortage of 40 000 nurses. But it is clear that an extra 40 000 nurses would bring our ratio down to 189:1, which is still much higher than the countries quoted above. The current output of 4 400 Registered Nurses per annum is not enough to maintain the numbers, after taking emigration, retirement and transfer to other sectors into account, let alone boost the nursing capacity,’ said Otto Wypkema, CEO of the National Hospital Network. ‘It is a national crisis,’ he said.
‘And yet, in the face of all this, some of our member hospital groups who apply to register nurse training facilities are facing ridiculous red tape,’ he said. ‘So taking on a training responsibility is a cost center, but nevertheless something we have to do to ensure our survival,’ he said.
He appealed to the Department of Education, the Department of Health, standard-regulator Umalusi, as well as the South African Nursing Council to respond urgently to the unfolding nurse-shortage crisis.
Mr Firoze Habib, spokesman of the Pretoria-based Louis Pasteur hospital said that his hospital had applied for permission to train nurses over two years ago, and no progress had been made, in spite of repeated requests.
This negative experience of SANC was echoed by Mr Ridwaan Allie CEO of Melomed Hospital Holdings. ‘It transpired that SANC was not prepared to recommend accreditation and to register a nurses training facility. The often repeated reason for not processing the application was that there was a moratorium on the opening of new training facilities, and nothing could be done until this was lifted.’
Wypkema said that he understood that part of the National Health Insurance implementation plan involved the private sector ‘taking in’ more state patients.
Private hospitals generally run on 70% occupancy, but human resource constraints are now the stumbling block to greater use of private facilities. I fear that it won’t be long before we too have to close wards because there are simply no nurses,’ he said.