The Western Cape's Independent Health Complaints Committee (IHCC) is
dysfunctional. In personal correspondence in September, head of department Dr
Beth Engelbrecht said there are “logistical” problems with committee
member appointments, whatever that means.
Complaints that had been referred to it – I don’t know how many others apart from ours – have been cancelled. Complainants should refer them to the public protector, national health ombudsman and SA Human Rights Commission. She didn't answer when I asked when she expected the IHCC's problems to be resolved and if my complaint would be investigated then.
The IHCC’s enabling provincial act does not provide for cancelling complaints that had already been submitted, which makes the cancellation illegal. It's also probable our complaint was the only one cancelled, which if so, is highly irregular.
I doubt Engelbrecht's explanation is true, though, because chapter 2, section 18 of the National Health Act states healthcare users have the right to submit complaints to the healthcare provider, e.g., health department, and have them investigated. Also, in terms of its enabling act, the HoD provides all resources and personnel, so if there are problems with the IHCC, by extension, it indicates serious managerial problems within the department and the public has not heard anything about that.
This event proves the IHCC is a lame poodle, a tool in the hands of the department to spin, manage and deflect complaints of poor care and neglect, which I predicted when it was formed. I urge healthcare users to be extremely wary of it and the department - they're not to be trusted.
Premier Helen Zille and health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo ignored my emails about these failures over the past few months, and last month Zille refused to investigate and referred my emails about the matter to Engelbrecht.
See related post here.
Updated 23/01/2019 with link.
Complaints that had been referred to it – I don’t know how many others apart from ours – have been cancelled. Complainants should refer them to the public protector, national health ombudsman and SA Human Rights Commission. She didn't answer when I asked when she expected the IHCC's problems to be resolved and if my complaint would be investigated then.
The IHCC’s enabling provincial act does not provide for cancelling complaints that had already been submitted, which makes the cancellation illegal. It's also probable our complaint was the only one cancelled, which if so, is highly irregular.
I doubt Engelbrecht's explanation is true, though, because chapter 2, section 18 of the National Health Act states healthcare users have the right to submit complaints to the healthcare provider, e.g., health department, and have them investigated. Also, in terms of its enabling act, the HoD provides all resources and personnel, so if there are problems with the IHCC, by extension, it indicates serious managerial problems within the department and the public has not heard anything about that.
This event proves the IHCC is a lame poodle, a tool in the hands of the department to spin, manage and deflect complaints of poor care and neglect, which I predicted when it was formed. I urge healthcare users to be extremely wary of it and the department - they're not to be trusted.
Premier Helen Zille and health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo ignored my emails about these failures over the past few months, and last month Zille refused to investigate and referred my emails about the matter to Engelbrecht.
See related post here.
Updated 23/01/2019 with link.
Comments
Post a Comment