Question NW2185 to the Minister of Health
19 June 2023 - NW2185
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)(a) What are (i) the age demographics of all nurses employed in the public health sector and (ii) their specialisation as a percentage of each category and (b) in which provinces are they employed; (2) what is the (a) current vacancy rate for all the specified nursing specialties in each province and (b) envisaged time frame to fill the vacant positions?
Reply:
1. (a) (i) In accordance with the Persal data set as extracted for the month of May 2023 below is the table of the age demographics of all nurses employed in the public health sector and
(ii) Persal does not provide the breakdown percentage of each specialized category since they are all grouped under category specialty
(b) The data also specifies the Provinces in which they are employed-
|
Professional Nurse (Specialized) 2023 |
|||||
|
Province |
25-34yrs |
35-44yrs |
45-54yrs |
55-64yrs |
*above 65 |
|
Eastern Cape |
87 |
376 |
652 |
586 |
7 |
|
Free State |
12 |
100 |
345 |
378 |
1 |
|
Gauteng |
293 |
1105 |
1693 |
1448 |
28 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
386 |
1975 |
2545 |
1689 |
12 |
|
Limpopo |
109 |
527 |
1072 |
1160 |
8 |
|
Northern Cape |
16 |
55 |
154 |
154 |
11 |
|
Mpumalanga |
57 |
293 |
578 |
431 |
4 |
|
North West |
59 |
282 |
535 |
406 |
14 |
|
Western Cape |
225 |
673 |
912 |
631 |
6 |
|
Total |
1244 |
5386 |
8486 |
6883 |
91 |
* Aged above 65 are regulated in accordance with the Public Service Regulation and Act- to employ professionals over the age of 65
(2) (a) Current vacancy rate for all the specified nursing specialties in each province and
|
Nursing Specialty Vacancy Rate |
||
|
Province |
Vacant |
Vacancy rate % |
|
Eastern Cape |
498 |
13.0% |
|
Free State |
46 |
2.8% |
|
Gauteng |
1096 |
15.2% |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
1984 |
22.7% |
|
Limpopo |
340 |
10.2% |
|
Mpumalanga |
170 |
9.1% |
|
Northern Cape |
120 |
33.0% |
|
North West |
318 |
19.1% |
|
Western Cape |
488 |
13.6% |
|
Total |
5060 |
15.7% |
(b) The Department is unable to state the envisaged time frame to fill the vacant positions due to general budget cuts that negatively affects the Compensation of Employment (CoE) a specific date of when the specified challenges will be eradicated. However, it can confirm that measures are applied across Provinces to prioritize filling of vacant posts where the budgets permit.
END.