Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)
13 July 2007
Thank you very much to all of you for responding favourably and accepting
the invitation to this meeting. I believe this meeting is very important in our
efforts to normalise the delivery of health services after what has been
referred to as an unprecedented and bruising public service strike.
It was brought to my attention that last week's meeting of the Heads of
Departments (HoDs) traversed the feelings on the ground regarding the concerns
that you as CEOs have in ensuring that government are able to deliver quality
health services in line with our mandate.
We, therefore, felt that it would be prudent to convene this meeting as soon
as possible following the discussions with the MECs and the leadership of the
health sector unions held last week.
The strike management team in the Department constantly appraised me of the
challenges with which all of you had to cope with during the strike. I was
deeply disturbed by the incidents of gross misconduct, intimidation and
victimisation of non-striking health workers by their colleagues and
others.
You will join me in acknowledging and applauding the efforts, commitment and
unstinting loyalty of our health professionals and other categories of health
workers, who in the face of great adversity remained true to their calling to
heal and to preserve life. We also thank the South African Military Health
Services, the private sector and all the volunteers who assisted in the
provision of health services during the unfortunate period of the strike.
Following the lifting of the strike on 28 June and the subsequent signing of
the wage agreement by the trade unions last week, we began the arduous task of
rebuilding relationships within the health sector from national, provincial,
district up to facility level. Most importantly, we need to work hard to
restore the confidence of the public in the public healthcare system.
We have commenced the rebuilding process at a national level and set the
scene for the normalisation of the working environment. To that extent we
convened a meeting with the leadership of the trade unions active within and
admitted to our sectoral bargaining council and these are National Education,
Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), Democratic Nursing Organisation of
South Africa (Denosa), Public Servants Association (PSA), Health and Other
Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa) and National Union of
Public Service Allied Workers (NUPSAW).
The response by the trade union leadership was positive and both parties
committed to working together in normalising the working environment. We held
frank and open discussions and agreed that the public service strike was indeed
regrettable and accepted the need to ensure that incidents such as those that
accompanied the strike never happen again in the health sector.
In an effort to undo the negative effects of the strike and to restore the
delivery of basic healthcare services, we must obtain maximum co-operation of
all stakeholders in the health system. We need to provide leadership and
improve relations between those workers who remain on duty and those who
illegally participated in the strike action.
We also have to improve the relationship between the management and the
staff. As facility managers, we have to demonstrate good leadership and steer
all parties in our facilities into embodying the spirit of ubuntu and the
Patient's Rights Charter.
As hospital managers, you should not feel let down by the process of
negotiations and the manner of its conclusion which is going to be presented to
you later this morning. Despite the public health services having borne the
brunt of the strike, we need to accept that the outcome of the negotiations
brought an end to the strike with both sides ultimately having to make
concessions on critical deal breaking issues.
What is even more important is that we now have a great opportunity to
finalise an occupation specific dispensation (OSD) that will significantly
boost our ability to attract and retain health professionals starting with
nurses this year.
I would like to reiterate our position as the Department of Health that we
are fully committed to improving the conditions of service of the health
workers in the country.
We have been lobbying various institutions within government to try and
mobilise resources for improvement of these working conditions. As a result of
this internal engagement within government, additional resources have been
allocated for improvement of salaries of nurses this year. Negotiations with
the unions on the utilisation of these resources commenced on Tuesday, 10
July.
Part of the proposals we have presented to the discussions with the health
unions is that entry level salaries for various categories of nurses be
increases by between 20 and 23% and be paid retrospectively with effect from 1
July 2007.
What this means is that a newly qualified professional nurse should now
enter the public health sector at a salary of R96 750 per annum, which is R17
343 more than what that person would have received before July 2007.
Staff nurses will enter the sector on a salary of R65 574 per annum which is
R11 352 higher than pre-July 2007 period. Auxiliary nurses will commence at R49
665 which is R9 438 more than the old dispensation.
These proposals represent an increase of more than 21% for professional
nurses, 20% for staff nurses and 23% for auxiliary nurses at entry level. I am
emphasising entry level because these are just minimum benefits for everyone.
Our package of proposals calls for a recognition of years of experience, skills
and education. The new dispensation will recognise good performers who may
progress faster to higher salary levels. Nurses will now have an opportunity to
progress to higher levels based on performance, education and accumulation of
skills.
The proposals also make specific arrangements with regard to nursing
specialists and nursing managers. It also provides remuneration recognition to
the position of nursing educators to enable us to attract lecturers for the
extra nursing colleges we are opening.
The occupation specific dispensation will be extended to doctors, dentists,
pharmacists and emergency care practitioners next year and to other health
professional categories in 2009 as provided for in the public service wage
agreement.
In conclusion, Programme Director, I hope today's meeting will provide you
an opportunity to among other things discuss and share your views on:
* how we can accelerate the normalisation of the workplace and re-build good
relations at facility level
* how we can mitigate against the devastating impact of future industrial
disputes in the public service
* and how you think the new occupational specific dispensation which I have
outlined will assist us in attracting and retaining of health professionals to
the public health sector.
Let me wish you well in your deliberations today. I look forward to
receiving the consolidated report of which I hope will be an earnest and candid
appraisal off all the discussion points.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Health
13 July 2007
