The City of Cape Town’s Health Department attained a special milestone when 79 out of 80 clinics achieved Ideal Clinic status. The Ideal Clinic programme is an initiative by the National Department of Health, aimed at systematically correcting deficiencies and improving the quality of Primary Health Care at public sector clinics.
‘Our target was for 85% of facilities achieving Ideal Clinic status, but this has exceeded our expectations and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff. An Ideal Clinic is a health facility with good infrastructure, adequate staff, adequate resources (medicine and supplies), with good administrative processes and sufficient bulk supplies. It uses applicable clinical policies, protocols, guidelines to ensure the provision of quality health services,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Of the City clinics 12 achieved platinum status, 45 gold status, while 22 achieved silver status.
To achieve platinum status, a clinic must meet 90% of vital elements that have an effect on direct service delivery and quality of clinical care to patients. These include the availability of certain medicines, temperature control and cold chain procedures for vaccines and medicine rooms; as well as functional equipment for resuscitation and other emergencies.
‘We are committed to giving our clients the best primary healthcare services and we are improving with each step. The Ideal Clinic framework sets out norms and standards that have to be attained, but also sustained in order to retain the status. We cannot rest on our laurels, but will continue to work hard to maintain the status and aim for 100% achievement for all our clinics,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
The department’s gains include, but are not limited to:
- The City Health Department in collaboration with Library Information Services, Social Development and Early Childhood Development and the Recreation & Parks Departments implemented the Live Well Challenge in the 19/20 financial year which has positively impacted lives across the City and involved more than 900 community members. The initiative consists of an eight week programme that provides community members with health education and exercise sessions aimed at addressing the burden of non-communicable diseases and empowering community members to improve their own health.
- The eighth Matrix programme on substance abuse was launched on 30 October 2019 at Scottsdene Clinic. The intention of the programme is to address substance abuse challenges within the community.
The Substance Abuse Unit has screened 2 125 clients at treatment centres across the city and has conducted more than 1 200 assessments.
- The Department celebrated the opening of the new Pelican Park Community Day Centre on 25 September 2019. The R43 million clinic took just more than two years to complete and provides comprehensive personal primary health care services to the communities of Pelican Park, Eagle Park, New Horizon, Lotus River and surrounding areas
- In the 19/20 Financial Year a new Special Food Unit was established which will focus on more than 650 food manufactures in the city which produce a range of food items for both local and international markets, as well as dairy farms. All Environmental Health Practitioners who will be responsible for this particular function have been fully trained to perform this task
- The Department created overflow facilities at its clinics which was necessitated by the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly the need to ensure social distancing and to prioritise COVID-19 related cases. At the same time, general service delivery to clients continued.
Other measures that have been implemented thus far to manage clients at City clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic include:
- Continuation of the appointment system to reduce time spent at the clinic
- Fast lane for Family planning, Immunisation, pregnancy test etc.
- Triage and screening of patient at entry points.
- Telephonic contact to recall patients and close contacts of Tuberculosis patients to discuss abnormal sputum, blood results etc.
- The facilities are either prefabricated structures set up on clinic premises where space has allowed, or community halls, which are in close proximity to the clinics, are used.