Hon. Members in healthcare, we must constantly build a safer system to ensure patient safety from injury or greater disease burden.

Our  healthcare workers are human and do make errors but, as time goes by, our  public also readily understands these errors.

Therefore, the final national draft policy on Patient Safety Incidents (2015) will assist, with norms and standards adherence and patients complaints guideline implementation for the OHSC to assist patients. At this point, the MF  welcomes the appointment of Prof Makgoba as the health ombudsman, who clearly  has his work cut out for him.

Infections, whether at surgical sites or via equipment or through, weak healthcare worker hygiene practice; non-functioning sterilization equipment or limited sets of equipment or lack of decontamination; all pose threats to hygiene and especially neonates who are extremely vulnerable to infection and succumb in no time;  given growing hospital acquired infection, often stubborn or untreatable.

Hon.  MEC, even accredited hospitals need regular external quality assurance  visits.

Most  pressing is rising litigation, because health’s mandate to reduce suffering  from illness is challenged; therefor quality of care has to have a three  pronged approach of: organisational systems, unit processes and interpersonal  skills domains reviewal.

Therefore, the MF hope these can be addressed, as part of the medico-legal workshop  planned by the department.

Thank  you.

Shameen  Thakur-Rajbansi

Minority  Front

MPL  KZN Legislature