Freezing physician and nursing posts as a cost-cutting measure in five provinces is "dangerously short-sighted" and will hurt vulnerable patient s, increase litigation costs and worsen working conditions, the S A Medical Association has warned. The freezing of these posts this month and next will result in staff shortages next year, said Sama chairman Dr Mzukisi Grootboom."Over the past few years we have seen a mushrooming of middle and senior management positions in provincial departments of health but a decrease in service-level posts at institutions."The provinces that have frozen healthcare posts are North West, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Free State.The number of law suits against departments of health has soared in the past few years. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi convened a summit meeting in March at which ways to reverse this trend were discussed.Grootboom said litigation would continue to increase until its root causes were dealt with."The freezing of medical officer, specialist and registrar posts is very short-sighted and will only serve to further compromise the quality of care being rendered by the public healthcare service to the most vulnerable populations in South Africa."..