The Gauteng Department of Health has appointed hospitals boards as part of an effort to strengthen the management of Gauteng hospitals. The Department has appointed 161 board members, equalling 71%, up by 53% from the initial 41 board members.
MEC for Health, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa said: “With the 66 board members that are still to be appointed a greater focus will be made to ensure that we have greater women and youth representation. Although there are 66 vacancies in the whole province, in terms of skills set shortage, we only have a shortage of 35 skills, these include;
- 5 persons with Financial skills;
- 11 persons with Legal skills;
- 13 persons with Medical skills;
- 6 persons with Human resource and management skills
“These men and women will strengthen service delivery at the coalface and put patient care at the centre of the health system in Gauteng. They will oversee and support the effective and efficient functioning of hospitals in our Province.”
The term of office is three years for the hospital boards and a member may serve for three consecutive years. The induction of the hospital boards will commence in May 2017. MEC Ramokgopa commended community members who have agreed to serve as hospitals board members. “I would like to thank all hospital board members and clinic committees who have agreed to serve our people. I’m confident that these men and women will make valuable and positive contributions to the Gauteng health system.”
The province needs about 227 hospital boards for all public hospitals. Amongst others Bheki Mlangeni Regional Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, and The Tara H. Morros Hospital have the required number of hospital board members.
Furthermore, the Department has also appointed 60% Clinic Committees in the five regions. “As part of our efforts to strengthen Clinic Committees, I will be meeting with all the appointed members during the month of April,” added Dr Ramokgopa.
Clinic Committees are statutory bodies appointed by the Member of Executive Council (MEC) for Health according to Section 42 of the National Health Act, No. 61 of 2003. The main objectives of Clinic Committees include promoting effective and efficient governance through public participation; addressing the health needs of the communities they serve and ensuring accountability and transparency.
The Clinic Committees are appointed for a three year renewable term. However, a committee member may serve for a maximum of nine successive years. The composition of the committee is between five to eight members per clinic.
Dr Ramokgopa has called on professional bodies to avail their members to serve in the hospital boards and clinic committees, thereby ensuring that these structures are capacitated by suitably qualified members.
Legislatures Reponses
MEC Ramokgopa further appraised the Gauteng Legislature in written responses on the payment of community healthcare workers; structural maintenance of public hospitals and clinics and policy on mental healthcare.
“All the 8 935 community Healthcare workers contracted have been paid until the end of February 2017 with no delays. The Department engages with SmartPurse, the service provider regularly to monitor and review project implementation. All matters that require attention are managed in line with the Service Level Agreement,” said MEC Ramokgopa.
On maintenance of public hospitals and clinics, Dr Ramokgopa said the Department was still to receive the report on the investigation of the roof collapse at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. The MEC assured that the report would be shared with the public once it has been received from Department of Infrastructure Development.
“The maintenance of all hospitals and clinics is budgeted for by the Department of Health but the implementation is executed by the Department of Infrastructure Development. The Department of Infrastructure Development has set 24 hours as the timeframe for repair of minor defects, seven days as the turnaround time for medium defects and a year for major maintenance repairs,” added MEC Ramokgopa.
MEC Ramokgopa said the Department is adhering to prescribed legislation and policy in managing mental healthcare users. The following policy guidelines and legislature are used:
- National Health Act 61 of 2003;
- Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002 regulations (regulation number 6) published in 15 December 2014 as amended in 6 November 2014. Also regulation number 43 as amended on the 6 November 2014;
- National Mental health Policy framework and strategic plan, 2013 – 2020. Section 7.1; subsection 1;
- Gauteng Mental Health Services strategic plan 2014 – 2020. “Vision 2020”. Section 13.2;
- Guidelines for the licensing of the community based facilities for people with mental health disabilities services; and
- Service Level Agreement between Gauteng Department of Health and the Mental Health Non-Profit Organisations.
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