Doctors need not panic over ‘certificates of need’

Doctors
Regulations governing the certificates of need still have to be drafted and the Department of Health is currently consulting with affected parties

This follows an outcry last week after it emerged that President Jacob Zuma had signed into law a proclamation that makes it compulsory for all health establishments to get a “certificate of need” within the next two years in order to operate.

The intention of such certificates is to encourage doctors to only open practices in underserved places such as rural areas and townships.

But Health Department spokesperson Joe Maila yesterday (3 June) assured doctors that “nothing is going to be unilateral”, adding that it would be “unconstitutional” for government to force doctors to work in places where they did not want to.

“The regulations governing the certificates of need have still to be made, and the Director General has just started the process of consulting with all affected parties,” said Maila.

“We need to find creative ways to increase people’s access to health care services together, but nothing will be done without full consultation,” he told Health-e News.

The South African Medical Association (SAMA), which represents doctors in the private and public sectors, has raised “serious concerns” about the certificate of need, which will become compulsory in April 2016.

“It can be questioned whether the unfettered control afforded to the Director General of Health over the health industry in respect to this ‘licensing requirement’ for health establishments is a justified limitation on the economic and professional rights of medical professionals,” said SAMA Chairperson Dr Mzukisi Grootboom.

SAMA is also concerned that the proclamation, which now forms part of the National Health Act, even requires existing health establishments to get a certificate of need. Operating without such a certificate is a criminal offence that could result in a five-year jail term.

However, Marije Versteeg-Mojanaga, Director of the Rural Health Advocacy Project, said both a carrot and a stick approach was needed to address the inequities in access to health services experienced between rural and urban areas.

“Under the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, it will be essential to have certificates of need, otherwise we will continue to have a mushrooming of health facilities in urban areas and not enough in rural areas,” said Versteeg-Mojanaga.

“If doctors want to open new facilities and expect to get NHI patients (paid for by a government NHI Fund), they should prove that such facilities will reach under-served communities,” she told Health-e News.

However, Versteeg-Mojanaga said aside from the “stick” approach, there should be “incentives to encourage health workers to go to rural areas”.

“Research shows that graduates from rural areas are more likely to go back and serve their communities, so perhaps government should consider offering interest-free loans to such graduates to start up rural practices,” she added. – Health-e News Service.

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One comment

  1. This is reminiscence of the Group Areas Act of the apardheid regime.

    Stick and carrots? we are not donkeys to be directed like mindless animals. This certificate of need is unconstitutional and should be scrapped. We need not worry? that’s what they said in the 1950 and look at where we are now. The mere fact that President Zuma signed this into law shows what little regard they have for the people they want to service the NHI.

    I have a practice I bought five years ago, it was successful then and is still thriving now, there are other practices within a 50km radius which are also thriving, clearly there is a need, but government might come and refuse to give one or several of us the certificate of need to practice in those areas. My family and I even moved to the same area so I could be close to my work place, moved our kids to schools in the same area, and I am told I need not worry?
    I have three permanent stuff, who’s family rely on the salaries they get through the practice. and I need not worry about their future

    The government has systematically closed doors for us, by signing contract with other countries not to poach essential personnel and now they want to tell us where we can work? and you say we need not worry.

    WAKE UP! this is a cancer that needs to be removed before it is too late, we have to worry

    Regards
    Dr MT Setoaba

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