Hospital with worst attendance is biggest

THE largest hospital in Africa, Chris Hani Baragwanath, has the lowest staff attendance rate of the seven largest hospitals in Gauteng.

Gauteng MEC for Health Dr Bandile Masuku made this revelation in his written replies to questions by the DA’s Jack Bloom.

Dr Masuku said that last year alone, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital recorded only 72% in staff attendance.

He said Helen Joseph Hospital had the highest staff attendance at 93%, followed by Charlotte Maxeke, Johannesburg and Tembisa hospitals with 89% attendance rates.

Other hospitals had the following attendance rates last year: Kalafong Hospital – 87%, Steve Biko Hospital – 86%, George Mukhari Hospital – 83%.

According to Masuku, the low attendance rate was mainly due to “staff who take (or are on) sick leave, including those on the PlLlR process and Family Responsibility leave.”

PILIR is the Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave and Ill-Health

Retirement system.

Masuku said the staff allocation register and daily attendance register are the sources they use to capture the daily data in the staff attendance database.

However, he said that his department had started the employee value proposition programme as well as implemented occupational health employee wellness services at all of the hospitals.

Masuku also said that his department was going to improve resource allocation, as well as the workplace environment.

He added that they would also improve human resource and labour relations practices.

In reaction, Bloom said Masuku is cautious about which category of staff has the lowest attendance, but according to unconfirmed data for the last two years, it appears that nurses have the lowest attendance rate.

Bloom said the Health Department regards 90% attendance as acceptable, but six of the seven largest public hospitals in Gauteng do not meet this standard, which is worrying.

Low-attendance rates put a lot of strain on the staff who remain, depressing their morale and the quality of patient care.

“There is a particular problem at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital where staff attendance is shockingly low, which is probably due to poor management and low-staff morale.

“Our hospitals are highly-stressed environments, so staff need to be managed properly to assist them in their jobs, but also disciplined when they are absent without good reason or abuse sick leave.”

“It appears that nurses have the lowest attendance Jack Bloom DA’s shadow health MEC