Health and Wellness
What strategies will she and her Department put in place to resolve the shortage of doctors and qualified nurses?
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness recognises that a sustainable, skilled, and motivated health workforce is central to delivering quality care. To address the shortage of doctors and qualified nurses, we are implementing a multi-pronged approach focused on both immediate relief and long-term workforce sustainability.
1. Targeted recruitment and accelerated appointment processes
We are making full use of the Approved Post List (APL) tool to identify, prioritise, and ring-fence critical clinical posts. To reduce appointment delays, recruitment pools remain open for three months after the initial advert, allowing similar vacancies to be filled without repeating the process. We are institutionalising rapid-filling protocols for permanent clinical posts to ensure that service-delivery capacity is not compromised.
2. Attraction and retention incentives
Occupational Specific Dispensations (OSDs) and rural allowances remain key to attracting and retaining scarce skills, particularly in underserved areas. We continue to direct the majority of staffing resources to frontline service-delivery posts, with support and corporate positions only considered once clinical needs are met.
3. Flexible workforce deployment
We promote an ecosystem model of care in which rural and metropolitan facilities share staff, expertise, and resources through cooperative governance. This allows us to cushion rural platforms when shortages arise, ensuring that communities outside major centres continue to receive essential services.
4. Training and professional development
We are strengthening partnerships with academic institutions to support the training of doctors and nurses, including clinical placement opportunities in the province’s facilities. Ongoing professional development, mentorship, and career-pathing initiatives are designed to retain skilled staff and equip them for future leadership roles.
5. Staff wellbeing and retention support
Our Employee Health and Wellness Programme (EHWP), delivered in partnership with Lyra, provides 24/7 telephonic and online counselling, trauma support, vocational rehabilitation, and preventive services. These measures aim to address burnout, improve morale, and reduce attrition linked to mental health and workplace stress.
We will continue to refine this strategy through workforce planning, community engagement, and intergovernmental collaboration to ensure that the Western Cape has the right number, mix, and distribution of healthcare professionals to meet current and future health needs.
