NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 3179
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 15 NOVEMBER 2013
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 38)
Mrs D Robinson (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
With regard to the National Development Plan, (a) when will the framework
on social determinants of health be finalised and (b) what innovative
actions will his department take to increase the use of primary health care
services?
NW3737E
REPLY:
a) The development of the framework for social determinants of health
will be completed by the end of the financial year.
b) The Department makes use of the Ward-based primary health care
outreach teams to educate communities about the need to make us of the
primary health care services. The Department is also in the process of
assigning doctors to work in primary health care clinics for a number
of hours per day for a number of days per week, depending on the need
at the specific clinic. This is to facilitate increased confidence of
communities in primary health care facilities. In addition, the
National Department of Health in cooperation with Provincial
Departments of Health, district management and primary health care
facility management is currently reorganising patient flows within
primary health care facilities to improve waiting times and patientsâ
experience in the primary health care facility.
END.