Team of experts to probe health council

PRETORIA: Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has established a “high-powered team” of experts to examine the state of affairs at the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA).

“The team has 60 days to finalise the investigation process and provide findings and recommendations to me for further investigations,” Motsoaledi said.

“I have appointed a highpowered team of experts in medicine, law, information technology and administration to investigate the matter.”

Allegations against the HPCSA include alleged questionable conduct during the acquisition of the Oracle information system, which is being used to register doctors.

“The team of experts will also investigate and make findings on the allegations of maladministration made by staff who have resigned,” said Motsoaledi.

They will examine 30 submissions delivered by staff to the office of the HPCSA president.

The team of investigators will also probe whether the chief executive and the chief operations officer are fit to run the statutory body.

Motsoaledi mandated the investigators to probe and make findings on whether there has been any impact on the organisation’s effectiveness.

The experts will also probe whether the state of affairs at the HPCSA has had an impact on the training of health professionals across South Africa.

“The team will also probe allegations that the poor state of affairs within the HPCSA has negatively affected the registration of foreign qualified experts.”

Motsoaledi said the investigators would recommend to him if there was a need to initiate a forensic audit.

Members of the investigating team will be led by the head of the department of medicine at UCT, Professor Bongani Mayosi.

Other team members include Dr Ralph Mgijima, former chairperson of the Public Service Commission, a surgeon, a GP, an IT expert and an attorney.