Date: 24/10/2003
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Signing of agreement between SA & UK
SPEECH BY MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR MANTO TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, MP, DURING THE SIGNING OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE UK, 24 October 2003
Honourable Minister of State for Health of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Senior officials of the Department of Health of the United Kingdom and South Africa
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed a great honour for me to be present here at this memorable event. It is an occasion that we have long been awaiting for. There has been a build up to the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) through numerous discussions that have been held between our two departments. I know that this occasion and the discussions that we will subsequently have, will bear the fruits that we have desired for so long.
It is equally significant that this MOU is being signed on the eve of a historic conference for South Africa. This weekend, the South African High Commission is hosting the Solidarity Conference celebrating ten years of our freedom and democracy. It brings together a number of government Ministers from South Africa, senior officials, other role-players as well as a number of individuals and organisations from the UK.
The conference will recognise the important role that the UK played in supporting the Anti-Apartheid Movement and assisting in bringing freedom, democracy and peace to South Africa. I do not want to pre-empt the discussions of this weekend but I must state that the deliberations will show that a tremendous progress has been made over the last ten years in improving the lives our people. I have no doubt that this MOU will significantly contribute towards these achievements.
One needs to mention that there has been a relationship with the UK prior to the signing of this MOU. A great amount of work that has been done through the DIFD and SA programme titled "Towards a Management and Organisational Strategy for the Health Services of the new SA"
This strategy was geared to meet the challenges for the transformation of health service management in South Africa as well as to strengthen management and organisational capacity throughout the public health system. This programme was a tremendous success, and there were many valuable lessons learnt that would serve only to enhance our future cooperation.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, the Governments of the Republic of South Africa and United Kingdom are signing this Memorandum of Understanding on the reciprocal educational exchange of healthcare personnel and concepts that are of mutual benefit. As you are aware, South Africa and the UK are both active members of the Commonwealth and are therefore bound by the same principles of that organisation.
Our respective governments engaged in talks to further negotiate the areas of cooperation between the two countries. The document was discussed in detail and amendments were incorporated and both parties agreed on this final draft.
The scope of the MOU is to give full cognisance to the existing commitment of the UK and South Africa to ethical workforce policies and practices. To this end both parties shall formulate an agreed plan including whereby South African healthcare personnel can spend education and practice period for a limited time in organisations providing NHS services.
This strategy will go a long way in reducing the brain drain from South Africa while at the same time ensuring that South African health professionals have an opportunity to get international exposure. A recent World Health Organisation study done in six countries in Africa showed that in South Africa, the major reason for migration was the desire to get international exposure. Through this agreement, this international exposure will be obtained by the strategic placements of health professionals for a limited period of time.
The MOU will also enable clinical staff from England to work alongside health personnel in South Africa with particular emphasis on the rural areas. Again this is of extreme importance to South Africa as it will not be a one-way process, and our underserved rural areas will benefit from these strategic placements.
Ladies and gentlemen, this MOU goes beyond just recruitment issues albeit important. Our two governments will also cooperate through the exchange of information, best practice and mutually agreed projects on issues relating to:
* Professional regulation issues
* Workforce planning and development including service and academic interface
* Public health and primary care
* Training in healthcare management
* Strategic planning
* Revitalisation of hospitals including governance (corporate and clinical) and re-engineering
* Twinning of Hospitals to share best practices and strengthen management
* Clinical excellence and quality issues
We believe that these areas are of extreme importance in improving our healthcare systems to the mutual benefit of both our countries. Both South Africa and the UK, for example, have embarked on a massive programme of revitalisation and re-engineering of hospitals. There are innovative programmes in both countries through the formation of public-private partnerships and private finance initiatives. Through this agreement, we will be able to share valuable lessons in order to strengthen these initiatives.
The areas of clinical excellence and quality have been issues that both governments have been grappling with for years. There are important projects such as Batho Pele and the Patients Rights Charter in South Africa and number of projects in England such as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Council for Health Improvement. This MOU will strengthen the work of these projects.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no doubt that the strategic partnership that is now developing between SA and the UK will strengthen relations that already exist between the two governments and will assist in building a cooperation that is more focused for the benefit of both countries.
Thank you.
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Signing of agreement between SA & UK
SPEECH BY MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR MANTO TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, MP, DURING THE SIGNING OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE UK, 24 October 2003
Honourable Minister of State for Health of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Senior officials of the Department of Health of the United Kingdom and South Africa
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed a great honour for me to be present here at this memorable event. It is an occasion that we have long been awaiting for. There has been a build up to the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) through numerous discussions that have been held between our two departments. I know that this occasion and the discussions that we will subsequently have, will bear the fruits that we have desired for so long.
It is equally significant that this MOU is being signed on the eve of a historic conference for South Africa. This weekend, the South African High Commission is hosting the Solidarity Conference celebrating ten years of our freedom and democracy. It brings together a number of government Ministers from South Africa, senior officials, other role-players as well as a number of individuals and organisations from the UK.
The conference will recognise the important role that the UK played in supporting the Anti-Apartheid Movement and assisting in bringing freedom, democracy and peace to South Africa. I do not want to pre-empt the discussions of this weekend but I must state that the deliberations will show that a tremendous progress has been made over the last ten years in improving the lives our people. I have no doubt that this MOU will significantly contribute towards these achievements.
One needs to mention that there has been a relationship with the UK prior to the signing of this MOU. A great amount of work that has been done through the DIFD and SA programme titled "Towards a Management and Organisational Strategy for the Health Services of the new SA"
This strategy was geared to meet the challenges for the transformation of health service management in South Africa as well as to strengthen management and organisational capacity throughout the public health system. This programme was a tremendous success, and there were many valuable lessons learnt that would serve only to enhance our future cooperation.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, the Governments of the Republic of South Africa and United Kingdom are signing this Memorandum of Understanding on the reciprocal educational exchange of healthcare personnel and concepts that are of mutual benefit. As you are aware, South Africa and the UK are both active members of the Commonwealth and are therefore bound by the same principles of that organisation.
Our respective governments engaged in talks to further negotiate the areas of cooperation between the two countries. The document was discussed in detail and amendments were incorporated and both parties agreed on this final draft.
The scope of the MOU is to give full cognisance to the existing commitment of the UK and South Africa to ethical workforce policies and practices. To this end both parties shall formulate an agreed plan including whereby South African healthcare personnel can spend education and practice period for a limited time in organisations providing NHS services.
This strategy will go a long way in reducing the brain drain from South Africa while at the same time ensuring that South African health professionals have an opportunity to get international exposure. A recent World Health Organisation study done in six countries in Africa showed that in South Africa, the major reason for migration was the desire to get international exposure. Through this agreement, this international exposure will be obtained by the strategic placements of health professionals for a limited period of time.
The MOU will also enable clinical staff from England to work alongside health personnel in South Africa with particular emphasis on the rural areas. Again this is of extreme importance to South Africa as it will not be a one-way process, and our underserved rural areas will benefit from these strategic placements.
Ladies and gentlemen, this MOU goes beyond just recruitment issues albeit important. Our two governments will also cooperate through the exchange of information, best practice and mutually agreed projects on issues relating to:
* Professional regulation issues
* Workforce planning and development including service and academic interface
* Public health and primary care
* Training in healthcare management
* Strategic planning
* Revitalisation of hospitals including governance (corporate and clinical) and re-engineering
* Twinning of Hospitals to share best practices and strengthen management
* Clinical excellence and quality issues
We believe that these areas are of extreme importance in improving our healthcare systems to the mutual benefit of both our countries. Both South Africa and the UK, for example, have embarked on a massive programme of revitalisation and re-engineering of hospitals. There are innovative programmes in both countries through the formation of public-private partnerships and private finance initiatives. Through this agreement, we will be able to share valuable lessons in order to strengthen these initiatives.
The areas of clinical excellence and quality have been issues that both governments have been grappling with for years. There are important projects such as Batho Pele and the Patients Rights Charter in South Africa and number of projects in England such as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Council for Health Improvement. This MOU will strengthen the work of these projects.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no doubt that the strategic partnership that is now developing between SA and the UK will strengthen relations that already exist between the two governments and will assist in building a cooperation that is more focused for the benefit of both countries.
Thank you.
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
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