9500 VACANCIES IN GAUTENG HOSPITALS

The Gauteng Health Department has 9510 vacancies out of 72 308 approved posts.

This is revealed in the Department's 2013/14 Annual Report that was tabled recently in the Gauteng Legislature.

The overall vacancy rate is 11.7%, with higher vacancies in skilled medical positions.

Gauteng hospitals are short of 420 doctors out of 2397 posts (17%) and 2208 professional nurses out of 15 537 posts (23%).

Other high vacancies are as follows:

Professional Nurse Students  - 1054 vacancies out of 4706 posts (22%)

Pharmacists  - 96 vacancies out of 546 posts (17%)

Medical Practitioner Interns - 187 vacancies out of 1084 posts (17%)

Medical Specialists - 309 vacancies out of 2536 posts (12%)

Staff nurses  - 870 vacancies out of 7071 posts (12%)

Last year 5231 staff left the department, of which 2173 (41.5%) resigned and 1669 left because their contracts expired (32%).

The high vacancies are a major reason for poor service in Gauteng hospitals. It compares poorly with the 4.7% vacancy rate in the Western Cape Health Department.

Every effort must be made to fill posts at Gauteng hospitals, including improved conditions to attract skilled personnel.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, October 20 2014

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