KwaZulu-Natal Health Department enhances service delivery through hands-on hospital visits

In a bid to enhance service delivery and tackle pressing challenges at public healthcare facilities, the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department’s senior management team recently journeyed to the Ladysmith Provincial Hospital with purpose.

The exercise was part of their Lulisandla initiative, which means "Lend-A-Hand" in isiZulu.

It was set in motion over six years ago by Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu with the aim to bridge the gap between strategic planning and operational execution at the province’s various healthcare system.

Recognising the need for direct engagement, the department’s acting head, Penny Msimango, together with her senior management team, held their monthly executive management committee (MANCO) meeting at the regional hospital, instead of their head office boardroom. 

Msimango described this practice as a "robust and proactive approach," designed to immerse top leadership in the daily operations of healthcare facilities. This hands-on method enables decision-makers to observe challenges first-hand and to engage directly with patients and staff.

During the recent visit, Msimango and her team ventured into various units at the hospital, interacting with doctors, nursing staff, and management, with the hope of addressing challenges swiftly. 

“Instead of relying solely on reports, each line manager is moving through their respective departments to identify bottlenecks and collaboratively develop real-time intervention plans,” she explained.

Hospital staff expressed appreciation for the direct involvement that Msimango's strategy brought. “The energy and support from the head office that was on-hand was immense,” said a ward manager. “It makes us feel heard and supported, leading to quicker solutions.” 

The collaborative effort fostered through the engagements was essential for building trust and enhancing healthcare for the local community, according to Msimango.

MEC Simelane-Zulu stated that the wide skill set of management was leveraged to tackle the challenges experienced at hospitals.

 “Our goal is to ensure that when we leave, the challenges that we found are solved. 

"For instance, when we arrived at Addington, we were informed about challenges related to IT, which had affected the network functionality of their computers. 

"When we left, those challenges had been resolved.” she added, emphasising the need for both short- and long-term solutions.

DAILY NEWS