Construction on the hospital's Outpatients Department building commenced in March 2011 and was completed in August last year at an approximate cost of R4.6 million. Additional space for physical examinations and dental treatment was made, including space for meetings with family groups, and/or multidisciplinary team meetings.
With the increase in ambulatory mental healthcare services, Alexandra Hospital's new Outpatients Department allows for a more efficient delivery of service. With that comes an improved quality of care to patients and an improved working environment for staff.
Western Cape Minister of Health, Theuns Botha, says: "Intellectual disability/psychiatry and psychiatric hospitals were for many years shrouded in a cloud of prejudice, stigma and mystery. Many believed that these services have been treated as the stepchild of general medicine for a long time - partly because psychiatry and intellectual disability were seen as less glamorous and perhaps less scientific than heart surgery, dialysis, etc."
"Fortunately this perception has changed, partly because of the tremendous and giant contributions of many highly qualified and very able health professionals as well as national and international organisations. Mental health is now eventually receiving its rightful place in health service planning and enjoys the support from role players across the globe."
The refurbishment of the hospital's Education Building to accommodate a new Outpatients section provided an opportunity to dedicate the renovated building to a distinguished role model in the field of intellectual disability, Professor Frances Ames. At a time of revitalisation at Alexandra Hospital, it would be appropriate to honour a key clinical and education facility at the institution with Professor Frances Ames' legacy of clinical excellence, leadership, scholarship and human rights activism.
Alexandra Hospital offers various packages of care to people with varying degrees of intellectual disability, with and without co-morbid psychiatric illnesses. Specialists rendering these services include Psychiatric Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Medical Officers, Physiotherapists and Psychiatrists.
Amongst all the disciplines in the Outpatients Department, (Psychiatry, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Pharmacy and the Psychiatry Sister), about 400 patients are attended to per month.
Background Information:
History of Alexandra Hospital:
About Professor Frances Ames:
Ethne Julius
Tel: 021 918 1292
Cell: 083 237 1303
E-mail: Ethne.Julius@westerncape.gov.za
Hélène Rossouw
Tel: 021 483 4426
Cell: 082 771 8834
E-mail: Helene.Rossouw@westerncape.gov.za