355 Ops cancelled at Joburg Hospital
‘Cancellations would have been avoidable with better management and availability of resources’.
355 operations were cancelled at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in 2014, mostly because of time constraints, lack of ICU beds, equipment shortages or no clean linen.
This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu in a written reply to Democratic Alliances (DA) Health Shadow Jack Bloom questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
Mahlangu said, “The major reasons for cancellations are as follows:
- Time constraints – 110
- Underprepared patients – 62
- Non-availability of ICU and High Care beds – 41
- Equipment shortage – 25
- Linen shortage – 15
- Drug shortage – 6
“Only seven operations were cancelled because the patient did not show up.”
Bloom said, “It is clear that most of these cancellations were avoidable with better management and availability of resources.
“The high number of cancellations adds to the long waiting list of 2246 patients for operations at this hospital.
“There have been further incidents this year of cancelled operations due to linen shortages and the breakdown of air-conditioning in the theatres.
“Every effort should be made to avoid unnecessary surgery cancellations that cause immense distress for both staff and patients,” he said.
