Deaths of mentally ill patients in Gauteng: Health Ombud report and Minister's response; with Deputy Minister present

Document outstanding: Overview of Transferred Psychiatric patients from Life Esidimeni Centre to various NGOs in Gauteng The Minister of Health introduced the Health Ombud who had been requested to investigate the 94+ mentally ill patients who died between 23 March and 19 Dec 2016 in Gauteng. The Minister had also dispatched a Ministerial Advisory Committee after learning of the deaths which went straight into action and within 48 hours had closed down five of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The Director General explained the role she had played in reaching an out of court settlement in December 2015 between the Gauteng Department of Health and civil society organisations. They agreed to delay the de-institutionalising of the 1 900 mental health care users who would be moved only once a proper plan was developed. She explained with surprise that despite reaching this settlement, the same matter was taken to court in March 2016. The Health Ombud presented his report with its 18 recommendations. In discussion, Members asked what were the next steps following the recommendations; about the inquests and the relationship between the inquests and the recommendations; how the broken relationships in the Gauteng Health Department were going to be fixed; called for the MEC job description to be redefined; requested confirmation of the actual number of deaths; if bogus NGOs were still operating; about monitoring NGO compliance in other provinces; about the lack of remorse from the people responsible; why no one in the Department saw this coming; if the Minister would do an audit of all mental health institutions in the country; why the national health department was not responsible; when the Minister intended to amend the Mental Health Care Act and which powers needed to be taken away from provinces and given to the Minister; what measures were put in place to ensure the preservation of life; proper disciplinary measures had to be implemented; hoped this would not