Pretoria – The Gauteng Health Department is to appoint a Deputy Director-General (DDG) in Legal Services in the current financial year, Department MEC Hope Papo announced.
Presenting the department’s 2012/13 Annual Report on Friday, Papo noted that while it was not financially prudent to budget for litigations resulting from medical negligence, the department is taking pro-active measures to reduce these.
“To this end we are stabilizing the leadership and management of the under-resourced Legal Services unit. We will appoint a Deputy Director-General for Legal Services in the current financial year. We are also finalizing a policy which bars department officials from testifying against the department in litigation cases. Hospital CEOs report disappearance of patient’s files to SAPS.
“Experience has taught us that most medico-legal cases emanate from Obstetrics and Gynaecology, therefore focus will be on training doctors and nurses to follow protocols and procedures. We will ensure that core equipment is available and functional,” Papo said.
He added that he will also appoint a panel to advise the department on cases, manage serious adverse events and strengthen compliance to procedures.
On infrastructure, Papo said the department continues to work with the Department of Infrastructure Development to ensure that provincial health facilities are maintained regularly and new projects are completed within time frames.
To this end, he said, no new project will be scoped and planned without the involvement of our Infrastructure Management officials. “As a client we have a right to input into planning and scoping of projects.”
Where there are bureaucratic bottle-necks, he added that there are mechanisms in place to intervene politically.
“That is why we have not rushed to open Jabulani/Zola and New Natal Hospitals. The reason being we want to be satisfied that all required equipment is installed and tested. We owe this to our people who have waited for too long. We cannot render services in facilities which are not fully functional,” he said.
Papo highlighted that strides have been made to stabilize the department, thanks to the department’s Turn-Around Strategy, launched in July in the year under review.
He said the strategy has laid a solid foundation for them to prioritise delivery of quality health services and allocate resources appropriately. – SAnews.gov.za
