Doctors are sick of regulator

6 Feb 2014

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has called on the Health Professions Council to do its job or shut down.

SAMA has called on the Health Professions Council to do its job or disband. Image: imagerymajestic net Free Digital Photos

The council is the statutory regulator of doctors, but the association accuses it of not supporting doctors or fighting for better working conditions for them. It is more worried about instituting "punitive measures" against doctors who err.

The comments come after a doctor, Miguel Desroches, filed court papers against the council to contest poor working conditions of doctors, forced community service and long shifts of more than 30 hours.

The president of the SA Medical Association Trade Union, Phophi Ramathuba, said: "It is now abundantly clear that the council cannot fulfil its stated goals, and is, in fact, detrimental to the state of healthcare."

She said the council did not do anything to rectify the living conditions of doctors staying at rural hospitals while performing community service.

She also said that the council took too long to register new doctors.

"Dysfunctional systems coupled with the sheer incompetence and indifference of some council staff results in unnecessary delays in processing the registration of health professionals," Ramathuba said.

The council did not respond to requests for comment.

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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