Question NW2329 to the Minister of Health
29 October 2020 - NW2329
Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Health
(1)On what date did the senior clinical manager (name furnished) at the Mahwelereng Hospital in Mokapane, who reportedly does not have sufficient experience to have been appointed as a clinical manager, (a) attain his medical degree and (b) complete his internship; (2) what (a) total number of years did the specified doctor practise as a general practitioner before his promotion and (b) are the regulations regarding experience required for a doctor to serve as a clinical manager; (3) what action will he take with regard to the appointment should the specified doctor not have the requisite qualifications?
Reply:
1. (a) The Senior Clinical Manager (SCM) of Mokopane Hospital attained his medical degree on the 31st December 2013;
(b) He completed his medical internship during the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2015.
2. (a) The SCM had 2 years and 6 months as a medical practitioner before his promotion on 1 July 2018. The breakdown is as follows: Medical Practitioner: Community Service (01 January – 31 December 2016) and Medical Practitioner: Independent Practice (1 year 6 months as (01 January 2017 – 30 June 2018).
(b) The experiential requirements for the post of SCM is “a minimum of 3 years as Medical Practitioner after registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Even though, the SCM did not have the three years minimum years of experience at the time of promotion, since he had only two (2) years and six (6) months experience as a medical practitioner, he was considered as a suitable candidate following a directive by the Executive Authority that where the Province is unable to recruit a suitable candidate during interviews, candidates acting as Clinical Managers can be considered for appointment, provided they are deemed compete during the selection process by the interviewing panel. At the time of promotion, the SCM was an Acting Clinical Manager at WF Knoble Hospital.
3. No action will be taken as the candidate concerned has the requisite qualifications as a medical practitioner certified by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Furthermore, the Executive Authority exercised her wrights in terms of Sub-Section 67 (7) of the Public Service Regulations, 2016 that (7) ”If the selection committee is unable to recommend a suitable person for appointment from those who applied in terms of sub regulation (5), the Executive Authority may, after that selection process has been completed, approve the head-hunting of one or more persons with the requisite competencies and subject such person or persons to the same selection process as those who applied.
END.