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CHAIRMAN’S BLOG 2011

The old habit of assuming control has led to a number of challenges in the last few months. Not so long ago the previous Minister of Health tried to enforce control over by interfering in the HPCSA. This body is now run by state appointed figures in committees designed by the state. It has lost credibility with the Medical Profession.

The next domino to fall over was SAMA, for years the Association that was supposed to look after our interests.

Over the last few years the top SAMA structures have turned into pyramids, i.e. so big and diverse that they cannot represent all the groupings under their wings. It has become clear that many of those sitting on the committees also have political self interest at the core of their daily performance. It is no surprise that many of those previously in charge of committees or office bearers at SAMA are now in parastatal organizations.

Don’t get me wrong - a few of them may actually achieve something.

To protect the Specialist’s interests we initiated the SAPPF (SA Private Practitioners Forum) a few years ago. This has grown into a fully representative body, accepted by the major role players, EXCEPT by those trying to maintain control and safeguard their own survival.

I am of course, alluding to SAMA.
SAMA has embarked on a number of legal actions against its own members. The major factor is that SAMA wants to control the coding system in order to remain relevant to private practice. Lose that and SAMA has very little to make it attractive to private medical professionals.

Even though the Specialists groups co-operated with SAMA in determining the coding changes for 2011 SAMA went ahead as if they did the work, and proclaimed copyright on the work done by the different societies. They also attempted to control who may publish it (with one eye closed) despite numerous Funders publishing Guides to Billing they are singling out the very people who developed the codes and descriptors, to enforce control. Whether this is a pure SAMA initiative or a Quasi DOH interference is a good question. SAMA has proven itself amenable to many of the controls the DOH wants to implement, and has shown itself not to be dependable in looking after private practice interests.

What is even more worrying is that many of our colleagues make decisions, but cannot commit to and fulfil those decisions. Heaven help us all if we cannot stand together and achieve something.

There are a few Societies known to be reliable and stand by their peers, and I am proud to say that our ENT members have never stepped back when asked to be counted on.