Brackengate is alleviating pressure from hospitals in the area
On Friday May 19th Minister Dr Nomafrench Mbombo visited Brackengate Transitional Care Facility to view its current operations and role in reducing the pressure on our acute hospital platform.
Brackengate forms part of the four Departmental facilities in the province which are being set up to provide intermediate care. This means that medically stable patients who are unable to be discharged but do not require acute care, will be able to fully recuperate without congesting the hospital platform.
Currently, Brackengate has a total of 128 beds and is receiving referrals from Helderberg, Eerste River, Tygerberg and Karl Bremer Hospitals. However, the occupancy has been capped to 60 patients at this point in time. It will be scaled up to full capacity as logistics surrounding its operations are finalised. Within the 2023/24 financial year, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has allocated an operational budget of R96 million for this facility.
Already, the services offered have shown to be impactful. As of now, Brackengate is equipped with a variety of wards, including those pertaining to medical, palliative, rehabilitation and TB healthcare services. In addition to these, there are social workers on board as well as an occupational therapist.
Ms Sharon Leo, the Acting Manager of Brackengate, added: “Our focus in this facility is to assist in relieving the pressure on our district hospitals, particularly when it comes to their high admissions to emergency centres and general bed occupancy. The patients being referred to Brackengate will have an average length of stay of anywhere between two and ten weeks, in which we will be focusing on their rehabilitation and including the family in the treatment process. In doing so, when the patients are eventually discharged, they would have had full package of care behind them to support them in the continuation of care in the community.”
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, concluded by saying: “The introduction of intermediate care is something which originates all the way back from 2012 and is something we are significantly expanding now. Currently, transitional care facilities are playing a crucial role in the Department’s service redesign process where we are aiming to maximise the efficiency, equity and quality of care across the province.
Brackengate is one of these facilities that has an immense potential to greatly assist our existing framework. As Minister, I look forward to its ongoing development and evolution, as well as the role it will play in our communities in the future.”