Motsoaledi met with Denosa, HORSPERSA, Nehawu, PSA and NUPSAW to brief them on the Ombud’s findings and the way forward
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has committed to supporting the Northern Cape in addressing healthcare service delivery problems highlighted in a recent Health Ombud report.
The report, released on 30 July, followed an investigation into the treatment, complications and deaths of psychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Hospital and Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
The investigation was initiated after the deaths of two mental health users at the Northern Cape Mental Hospital, with Motsoaledi requesting the Ombud to probe the matter.
Meeting with provincial leadership
Last week, Motsoaledi visited the province to meet premier Zamani Saul, Health MEC Maruping Lekwene, Finance MEC Venus Blennies-Magage, senior health officials, and the provincial director-general.
“By and large, the findings have to do with issues of human resources, procurement, clinical protocols and practices inside the hospitals themselves,” the department said on Sunday.
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The report found that some health workers, including doctors and nurses, “were fingered for not having performed certain professional clinical functions with diligence”.
Unions unhappy over findings
It was agreed that labour unions would also be consulted.
Motsoaledi met representatives from Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa), Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA), National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), Public Servants Association (PSA) and National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) to brief them on the Ombud’s findings and the way forward.
According to the department, “the labour unions pointed out that they are unhappy about the manner with which the Health Ombud has fingered some of their members, and they wanted the Minister to look into that.”
Motsoaledi explained that he is “not an Appeals Authority of the Health Ombud and therefore he cannot review his reports”.
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He told unions that any person unhappy with the findings should follow the standard appeal process, which requires him to appoint “a three-member tribunal to be chaired by a retired judge or a retired magistrate.
The other two members may either be health professionals or legal professionals.”
Plans to improve services
The minister also outlined planned interventions, including improving staffing, procuring beds and linen, and hiring more health workers.
The visit concluded with a site inspection of the hospitals “to see for themselves some of the findings of the Health Ombud, and to acclimatise themselves in the shortest way possible, to try and implement the recommendations of the Health Ombud report”.
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