Who we are
Our Mandate
The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) is an independent entity established under the National Health Amendment Act of 2013 to ensure quality and safety in healthcare by promoting and protecting the health and safety of users (patients) of health care services by:
- Monitoring and enforcing compliance of health facilities with the norms and standards prescribed by the national health system.
- Ensure that complaints of non-compliance with prescribed norms and standards are reviewed, investigated, and adjudicated in a procedurally fair, economical, and expeditious manner.
The term “healthcare facility” refers to both public and private healthcare facilities that provide or are intended to provide inpatient or outpatient treatment, diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, nursing, rehabilitation, palliative, convalescent, preventive or other healthcare services. It includes hospitals and primary healthcare clinics and also extends to emergency medical services (EMS), hospices, private medical practices, and nursing care facilities.
Core Functions
The functions of the OHSC are set out in section 29 of the National Health Amendment Act, which states that the OHSC has the following functions:
- Advise the Minister on matters relating to norms and standards for the national health system and the review of such norms and standards, or any other matter referred to it by the Minister.
- Inspect and certify compliant health establishments with prescribed norms and standards, or where appropriate and necessary, withdraw such certification.
- Investigate complaints relating to breaches of norms and standards.
- Monitor indicators of risk as an early warning system (EWS) about serious breaches of norms and standards and report any breaches to the Minister without delay.
- Identify areas and make recommendations for intervention by a national or provincial department of health or municipal health department, where necessary, to ensure compliance with prescribed norms and standards.
- Recommend quality assurance and management systems for the national health system to the Minister for approval.
- Keep records of all OHSC activities.
The law states that the OHSC must also:
- Issue guidelines to assist health facilities in implementing the prescribed norms and standards.
- Request or collect information on the prescribed norms and standards from health facilities and service users.
- Liaise and exchange information with other regulatory bodies on matters of common interest and specific complaints or investigations.
- Negotiate cooperation agreements with other regulators to coordinate and harmonise their work where their areas of responsibility are closely related.
Vision
Consistent, safe, and quality healthcare for all.
Mission
We monitor and enforce healthcare safety and quality standards in health establishments independently, impartially, fairly, and fearlessly on behalf of healthcare users.
Values
OHSC’s corporate values are characterised by ethical considerations and represent guiding principles that govern the actions of all employees. OHSC employees are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity at all times.
Our values – listed below – ensure that there is no doubt about what is required of them. We uphold these core values:
- Human Dignity – We have respect for human individuality and treat each individual as a unique human being.
- Accountability – We take responsibility for our results and outcomes.
- Transparency – We operate in a way that creates openness between managers and employees.
- Quality healthcare – Quality healthcare means doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, for the right person – and having the best possible results.
- Safety –We maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all employees in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and promote a positive attitude towards safety.
- Integrity – We conduct ourselves with openness, honesty, and respect for all stakeholders..
