Question NW943 to the Minister of Health
21 April 2022 - NW943
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether his department has made any strides in adopting a genuine and consequential approach to abusive behaviour within our health facilities; if not, why not; if so, what has been done; (2) what role does the (a) SA Medical Association, (b) SA Medical Research Council, (c) Health Professionals Council of South Africa and (d) SA Nursing Council play in order to resolve this kind of abuse?
Reply:
1. The department has always adopted a true, genuine and consequential approach to abusive behaviour within our health facilities. This can be demonstrated by several policy documents and guidelines that were published and are available in the public domain. These include the establishment of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) as a standard setting body supported by the Health Ombudsman. The department has demonstrable evidence where people that were found to be at fault were taken to task in various health facilities. One such example is the steps taken in the unfortunate situation around Life Esidimeni where those that were found to be at fault were made to take responsibility for their acts or omissions.
2. (a) SA Medical Association (SAMA)
South Africa Medical Association is a private association that represents the interests of its members, being the medical doctors. This organisation is not part of the department and as such the department is unable to comment on how it handles matters related to its members.
(b) The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)
This entity is a research institution which does not get involved in service delivery issues and most importantly in the behaviour of the health care workers. However, if requested the SAMRC can could conduct behavioural research in an institution noted to be an issue to understand root causes and address interventions.
(c) Health Professions council of South Africa
The role of Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is to ensure that where such acts or offences were committed by practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974, disciplinary action will be undertaken by HPCSA by investigating the allegations in line with the Act.
This entity does contribute towards the genuine and consequential approach to abusive behaviour within our health facilities.
Secondly, the HPCSA has a responsibility in guiding the practitioners. It also has interventions such as symposiums and roadshows where these ensure that ethical rules and ethical guidelines are communicated to the practitioner.
(d) South African Nursing council.
Just like with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, this entity, is a statutory health professional body for nurses and its duties include upholding and maintaining standards of nursing practice in order to serve and protect the public. In cases of complaints against any person registered with the SANC, an investigation is conducted in accordance with the Chapter 3 of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act no. 33 of 2005), and applicable regulations. The Council is empowered by the Nursing Act, to establish specific committees to institute an enquiry into any complaint or allegations of unprofessional conduct and to undertake appropriate disciplinary action against any person registered under the Nursing Act. In the event that there is a complaint against any person registered with the SANC, The Preliminary Investigating Committee investigates the allegation to establish if there is a case against the practitioner. Should there be evidence that there is, the matter is referred to the Professional Conduct Committee to institute disciplinary action. If the nurse is found guilty of such misconduct, the Council imposes any of the prescribed penalties.
END.