Staff/population ratios in South African public sector mental health services.
OBJECTIVE
To document existing staff/population ratios per 100,000 population in South African public sector mental health services.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
A questionnaire was distributed to provincial mental health co-ordinators requesting them to provide the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff responsible for mental health care at all service levels. These data were supplemented by consultations with mental health co-ordinators in each of the nine provinces. Population data were obtained from preliminary findings of the 1996 census.


RESULTS
The overall staff/population ratio per 100,000 population was 19.5, with an interprovincial range of 5.7-31.5. The staff/population ratios per 100,000 population for selected personnel categories (with the interprovincial ranges in brackets) were as follows: total nursing staff 15.6 (4.4-28.4), occupational therapists 0.4 (0.1-0.8), occupational therapy assistants 0.5 (0.0-1.3), social workers 0.5 (0.1-0.9), community health workers 0.3 (0.0-1.0), psychologists 0.3 (0.0-0.7), intern psychologists 0.3 (0.0-0.7), psychiatrists 0.4 (0.1-0.8), psychiatric registrars 0.4 (0.0-1.2), medical officers 0.4 (0.2-1.3), pharmacists 0.2 (0.1-1.1), and pharmacy assistants 0.2 (0.0-0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Relative to international settings, there are low levels of mental health staff provision in South Africa, and there is a large amount of variability between provinces. There are considerable challenges in monitoring mental health staff resources within an integrated health service.
Lund
Crick
C
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town.
Flisher
Alan J
AJ
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011153:Population; D017150:Public Sector; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires