A search is on for the 'ideal clinic'

The government plans to establish "norms and standards" for all primary healthcare sectors in an effort to raise the quality of service.

President Jacob Zuma announced yesterday that health experts, academics, labour representatives, business leaders and government officials would meet next month to establish what every clinic in South Africa should have.

Zuma told the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry's annual convention in Pretoria that the meeting would help the country address slow healthcare delivery.

"Next month we will launch Phakisa 2, which will focus on building ideal clinics. Teams from business, government, labour and academia will grapple with one key question for six weeks at their retreat on the outskirts of Pretoria - what constitutes an ideal clinic in our health system," Zuma said.

The concept is part of Operation Phakisa, which is aimed at fast-tracking government service delivery.

Health Department spokesman Joe Maila said the aim of developing standards for the "ideal clinic" was to have a framework "that will tell us that if you go to a clinic, it must have these things. If we say these are the standards, it must be the same everywhere."