2008/11/26
THE Department of Health has launched a 24-hour integrated call centre to deal with everything from emergency medical needs to complaints and compliments.
The facility, with a staff complement of 15 professional agents, was officially launched yesterday by Health MEC Pemmy Majodina at the centre, based in the Eastern Cape Tourism building at the East London beachfront .
Likening the integration of services in one area to a shop in her rural village of Sterkspruit, Majodina said it would bridge the gap between services and the people.
“The one shop in my village offered everything from bread and milk to fruits and vegetables; this call centre is just like that,” she said.
Dubbed a “one-stop shop”, the facility comes equipped with a system that will reduce duplication of efforts by different health-related bodies.
Members of the public and Health Department staff will be able to call, SMS, fax and e-mail the centre for health-related complaints, human resource issues such as pension payouts and leave gratuity, whistle-blowing on corruption issues, tender and supplier payments queries, and infrastructure maintenance issues.
According to centre manager Zandisile Ntlube, the aim is to decentralise the provincial Health Department telecommunications system to ensure an accelerated complaints resolution process.
“We are working towards compiling a comprehensive database to avoid contradicting feedback and the over-utilisation of department resources,” he said.
The centre would also handle calls meant for Emergency and Medical Rescue Services and offer health promotion advice and HIV counselling.
“We plan on fast-tracking the response time for emergency cases, and we will also ensure that we meet the 72 hour period in which to attend to and resolve complaints,” Ntlube added. While pledging support for the department’s efforts, health portfolio committee chairperson Mike Basopu sent a strong message to the call centre agents, saying dedication was the only way to sustain the provision of quality service.
“We will call you into account when the facility starts defaulting,” he said.
The department, which is hoping to get a South African Bureau of Standards accreditation next year, will be opening satellite call centres across the province. - By NTANDO MAKHUBU
Health Reporter
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