Question NW317 to the Minister of Health
07 March 2024 - NW317
Hicklin, Ms MB to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Regarding the placement of intern and community service medical personnel for each of the different medical personnel categories in 2024, including but not limited to doctors, nurses, and environmental health practitioners, (a) what total number of such personnel (i) has rejected their allocation and/or placement and (ii) were not eligible for placement, (b) what were the reasons they were not eligible and (c) on dates will they be placed as from 1 March 2024; (2) whether interns and community service medical personnel who are to start on 1 March 2024 have already been informed of where they will be placed; if not, why not; if so, (3) whether they have accepted their placement; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. (a) (i) The total number of Internship and Community Service applicants who rejected their allocation for the 2024 Annual Cycle is 70. The table below provide a breakdown of the total applicants who rejected per field of study.
|
2024 Annual Cycle - Medical Internship and Community Service - Allocation rejections |
|
|
Community Service |
61 |
|
Audiologist |
2 |
|
Dentist |
1 |
|
Dietician |
5 |
|
Environmental Health Practitioner |
1 |
|
Medical Practitioner - Community Service |
29 |
|
Occupational Therapist |
6 |
|
Pharmacist |
2 |
|
Physiotherapist |
8 |
|
Professional Nurse |
4 |
|
Speech Therapist |
3 |
|
Internship |
9 |
|
Medical Practitioner - Internship |
9 |
|
Grand Total |
70 |
(ii) The total number of applicants who were not eligible for placement to commence duty on 1 January 2024 is 619.
(b) The table below provide a breakdown per field of study with reasons why they were not eligible to be placed
|
2024 Annual Cycle - Medical Internship and Community Service - Not eligible applicants |
|||
|
Row Labels |
Can only register and commence duty between March to August 2024 |
Not eligible for Registration with HPCSA |
Grand Total |
|
Clinical Psychologist |
- |
2 |
2 |
|
Diagnostic Radiographer |
4 |
|
4 |
|
Environmental Health Practitioner |
15 |
8 |
23 |
|
Medical Officer Community Service |
215 |
1 |
216 |
|
Pharmacist |
- |
177 |
177 |
|
Physiotherapist |
- |
5 |
5 |
|
Radiotherapy |
- |
1 |
1 |
|
Speech Therapist |
- |
72 |
72 |
|
Medical Internship |
- |
119 |
119 |
|
Grand Total |
234 |
385 |
619 |
(c) Statutory placements are managed as replacements posts that requires applicants to commence duty on 1 January of each year to ensure that there is constant availability of health professionals to render health services at a certain required time including after-hour roster cover. As a result, the department targets to release allocation outcomes between October and November of the preceding. This allows allocated applicants enough time to make necessary arrangements to commence duty on time and avoid late start that affects health services and the Cycle management.
When applicants timeously declare their late start dates, due to various reasons, a provision is made to align their date to the allocation. However any applicant that has a date beyond 1st April is then expected to apply for the Mid-year Cycle which allocates for 1st July commencements.
2. The department continues to assist applicants who were unable to commence duty on the required date. However, this is done in consultation with Provincial Departments of Health where budgets permits.
In terms of the HPCSA regulations, medical interns has to comply with a three months rotation in one domain. Therefore there are 0 medical interns that can legally commence duty on 1 March 2024.
According to the ICSP records, only 11 Medical Community Service doctors have proclaimed that they will assume duty on 1 March 2024. Provinces have been requested to assist with their appointment to 1 April 2024.
3. They have not accepted posts as yet.
END.