The employees, who started a go-slow on Monday, anonymously told OFM News that they are not qualified nor trained for this speciality, and that facilities are not suitable for mental health patients. They said they have had incidents that have led to fatalities because the hospital should not be admitting psychiatric patients.

“We have experienced a lot of incidents. A psychiatric patient once jumped out the window from the third floor and landed on the ground floor, [suffering many fractures]. The patient was then moved to the trauma ward, where he hung himself and died. A truck driving past the hospital also assisted a nurse with stopping a psychiatric patient who was obstructing traffic.”

The staff members indicated that the Health Department promised to resolve this matter, but it has been three years and the situation is escalating.

An enquiry sent to the Department of Health has not been responded to at the time of publication.

ALSO READ: Staff refusing to treat psychiatric patients, on go-slow

OFM News previously reported that staff members at the Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital in Bloemfontein are on a go-slow as they are refusing to treat psychiatric patients.

OFM News/Mpho Mohapi and Nomathamsanqa Mboyisi