Staffing levels at KwaZulu-Natal district hospitals: is the University of KwaZulu-Natal training for the needs of the province?

Figures & data

Table 1: Demographic data and years worked at District hospital (n = 506)

Category of healthcare professional	Age in years		Gender		Years working at a district hospital		Community service in 2016
	Age	Number	Male	Female	< 5 years	> 5 years	(no.)
Foreign-qualified doctors (n = 73)*	< 30	19	5	14	19	0
	30+	54	37	17	45	9
South African doctors (n = 153)*	< 30	71	30	41	71	0	46
	30+	82	45*	27*	62	19*
Pharmacists (n = 98)	< 30	59	24	35	59	0	11
	30+	39	11*	22*	26	13
Radiographers (n = 66)	< 30	30	8	22	25*	1	11
	30+	36	20	16	25	11
Physiotherapists (n = 53)	< 30	34	11	23	34	0	20
	30+	19	7	12	7*	10*
Dietitians (n = 31)	< 30	17	0	17	13*	1*	10
	30+	14	3	11	12	2
Dentists (n = 19)	< 30	6*	1	5	6	0	6
	30+	13	8	5	6	7
Dental therapists (n = 13)	< 30	13	3	10	13	0	2
	30+	0	0	0	0	0
Totals		506	213	277	423*	64*	106
(%)			(43%)	(57%)	(87%)	(13%)	(22%)

* Some data missing.

Table 2: Training location of the DH healthcare professionals (n = 423)

All health professionals	Trained at UKZN	Trained in rest of SA	Trained outside SA
Doctors (n = 141)	81	57	3
Pharmacists (n = 98)	61	36	1
Radiographers (n = 66)	0	63	3
Physiotherapists (n = 53)	34	19	0
Dietitians (n = 31)	19	12	0
Dentists (n = 21)	0	21	0
Dental therapist (n = 13)	12	1	0
Total (%)	207 (49%)	209 (49%)	7 (2%)

Table 3: Funding sources of the health professionals (n = 358)

Health professionals	Self-funded	KZN bursary	NSFAS loan	UYDF scholarship	Other
South African doctors	48	40	10	10	25
Pharmacists	35	15	15	8	0
Radiographers	25	10	3	5	3
Physiotherapists	22	7	8	8	6
Dietitians	15	3	2	1	3
Dentists	8	4	2	2	3
Dental therapists	3	4	1	4	0
Total (%)	156 (44%)	83 (23%)	41 (11%)	38 (11%)	40 (11%)

Table 4: Association between training at UKZN, funding source and duration of stay > 5 years at DH

Category of health professional	Worked < 5 years at DH	Worked > 5 years at DH	CI	Odds ratio	p-value
Trained at UKZN and duration of stay
Doctors (n = 81)	67	14	0.32–1.7	0.75	0.329
Pharmacists (n = 61)	54	7	0.14–1.37	0.4	0.157
Physiotherapists (n = 34)	28	6	0.25–5.2	1.14	–
Dietitians (n = 19)	18	1	–	–	–
Dental therapists (n = 12)	12	0	–	–	–
KZN DOH bursary and duration of stay
Doctors (n = 40)	38	2	0.036–0.71	0.16	0.007
Pharmacists (n = 15)	13	2	0.16–4.05	0.82	–
Physiotherapists (n = 7)	6	1	0.25–8.6	1.45	–
Dietitians (n = 3)	3	0	–	–	–
Dental therapists (n = 4)	4	0	–	–
NSFAS loan and duration of stay
Doctors (n = 10)	9	1	0.06–4.05	0.49	–
Pharmacists (n = 15)	12	3	0.36–5.9	1.43	–
Physiotherapists (n = 8)	6	2	–	–	–
Dietitians (n = 2)	1	1	–	–	–
Dental therapists (n = 1)	1	0	–	–	–
UYDF scholarship and duration of stay
Doctors (n = 10)	10	0	–	–	–
Pharmacists (n = 8)	8	0	–	–	–
Physiotherapists (n = 8)	8	0	–	–	–
Dietitians (n = 1)	1	0	–	–	–
Dental therapists (n = 4)	4	0	–	–	–