Gauteng hospital staff suffer 61 attacks by patients
19 April 2023
Gauteng hospital staff have suffered 61 attacks by patients since January last year, mostly by those who are mentally ill.
This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital had the most attacks, with 21 assaults on staff who were injured on various parts of their bodies. Many nurses were punched in the face, and a security guard was hit in the groin.
There were seven attacks on staff at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, including two nurses and a speech therapist who were bitten on their fingers.