Issued by: Department of Health
The Department of Health welcomes the release of the report of the Commission of Inquiry into Hospital Care Practices in Gauteng. The findings and recommendations can make a significant contribution to improving the quality of care in public hospitals.
The report confirms the findings of a national review on the health care system undertaken by the Department in late 1998 and early 1999, and presented to the first meeting of the new Minister and MECs in July this year. The review included audits on samples of district , regional and tertiary hospitals, quality of care and patients' views of the public health system.
The problems highlighted are very serious and are being addressed as a matter of urgency, but it is important to note that the Commission concluded that "Although appalling examples of health care (were reported), ...... these were the exceptions."
Significant improvements have been made in a wide range of services and quality of care available in regional hospitals outside the metropolitan areas. However, while standards are generally very high in Academic Central Hospitals, they are under great strain and morale in some areas is low.
Transformation has been particularly difficult for them as the country learns to live within its budget, at the same time, making health care accessible to thousands of previously disadvantaged communities.
At their first meeting in July, and since then, the Minister and the MECs have had detailed discussions on the problems facing the health sector, and on what is being done to overcome those. In her presentation to the National Council of Provinces on 19 October 1999, the Minister outlined a ten-point plan, which had been agreed with the MECs from all nine provinces.
Specific strategies include the decentralization of much greater authority and responsibility to managers at hospital level, in line with what is recommended by the Commission. Considerable preparatory work has already been done, and the Minister and the MECs agreed in July that this process should be accelerated. All staff and managers working together, particularly at hospital level can best address many of the specific problems identified by the Commission.
The Department of Health has every confidence in the capacity of the Gauteng Provincial Health Department and all its staff, most of whom are dedicated and work extremely hard to serve their patients. They will address the serious problems identified by the Commission and so continue with transformation.
Contact: Dr Tim Wilson
Phone: 012 312 0939/ 082 576 2090
Date: 20 October 1999