Thank you for the question. Around what steps to be taken for improvements in hospitals, CEOs are in very difficult positions. They are not given the authority to spend resources in the way they should be able to. You would know that all authority given to them is delegated downwards. They do not have the freedom to manage their budgets in their own way. This is a huge problem. It creates enormous managerial problems.
As you have pointed out now, all delegation have been withdrawn from CEOs regarding the appointment of new staff. This arises out of the overspending that we are experiencing in certain provinces on Occupational Specific Dispensation, OSD, for nurses. The fact of the matter is that the overspending is continuing at an unprecedented rate in most provinces. The overspending that we saw last year and that will be reported on is actually going to be higher. We are not exactly certain as to what is driving all the overspending. The Auditor-General is doing an intensive audit on what the overspending is about. Once we receive his reports, we will be able to have a better understanding of what that is all about.
In the interim, the National Treasury has assisted us with R1 billion to meet that overspending. But we are also going to have to look at what the provincial treasuries can do to assist the departments of health in terms of their adjustments estimates, and we will be watching what is going through. Apparently, there has been discussions going on with provincial treasuries. But let me say upfront that this is a major problem facing the health department. We wanted the OSD to assist nurses and, in the next phase, to assist doctors. Once we have seen what the full outcome of this is, we will have to take a decision on that.
In terms of steps to be taken around hospitals that are functioning badly, an Office of Standard Compliance has been set up in the department under Dr Marshall in April 2008. They have to review every hospital every three years. They are starting with reports, and they actually have the right to withdraw a license or authority to operate. I have great hope in the Office of Standard Compliance in assisting us. But we can't just wait on monitoring. We actually have to take a proactive approach. This, I think, is the approach of the Ministry as a whole. I have now spoken in detail with my colleague, Dr Sefularo, and we are both of the same mind that the quality of our health care can no longer just be business as usual. It has to become a matter of priority. The patient has to be at the centre of everything around health care. We are considering this as an absolute priority. [Applause.]
Once again, we will do our level best in trying to deal with these issues. It is intolerable what patients have to deal with. We look upon all of us here in Parliament to assist with this matter. Thank you. [Applause.]
Vote No 15 - Labour: