Waiting times for patients have worsened at the Helen Joseph Hospital where they can expect to wait more than two-and-a-half hours at the outpatient’s department.
Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu revealed this in the Gauteng Legislation this week.
According to Mahlangu, patients, this year will wait 153 minutes on average at the outpatient’s department compared to 121 minutes last year.
Patients will wait 124 minutes at casualty compared to 100 minutes last year, and 70 minutes at the pharmacy, up from 52 minutes last year.
Mahlangu says that steps to reduce waiting times include the appointment of queue marshals, the installation of a queue management system and the piloting of pharmacy dispensing machines.
Shadow MEC for Health Jack Bloom said he is disappointed.
“I am disappointed that waiting times have increased at the hospital But I have seen for myself the new automated dispensing machines that will hopefully cut waiting times at the pharmacy, ” said Bloom
The hospital is close to fully staffed but is often overcrowded as there is on average a 91% bed occupancy rate.
“Expansion of the hospital should be considered to better serve the high number of patients,” said Bloom.
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