5


Staying in touch with MPS


Are you receiving all the benefits that your membership entitles you to? Are your contact details up to date with MPS? At MPS we use many communication methods to contact you about


your membership and benefits. This could be confirmation of a recent change to your membership, eg, a change to your subscription grade, issuing your membership documentation, how to access free Continuing Education Unit workshops or providing useful publications and information. To ensure that you receive all the latest information and documentation it is essential that your contact details are


up to date. We retain the following contact details: ■■ Current postal address ■ ■ Daytime, evening and mobile telephone numbers ■ ■ Email addresses ■■ Fax numbers.


To update your membership contact details or to simply check that we hold the latest and correct details, please contact your MPS team at the South African Medical Association (SAMA). They can be contacted by email at mps@samedical.org, by post at PO


Box 74789, Lynnwood Ridge 0040, South Africa, or by telephone on 0800 225 677 (toll-free) or 012 481 2070; by fax on 012 481 2061 or 086 635 8810. Don’t forget to quote your membership number in your communication. Providing MPS with the correct information will ensure that we can contact


you and that you don’t miss any of the benefits to which you are entitled. This information is also often used for security purposes when you contact SAMA or MPS, therefore for your own security and to save unnecessary delay your data must be accurate and up to date. Should you require assistance from MPS, any incorrect information may again cause unnecessary delay. We look forward to hearing from you.


Demands grow for better security


Telemedicine: MPS comments


Both MPS and the HPCSA have warned doctors not to participate in telemedicine services, following the launch earlier this year of the “Hello Doctor” service. Telemedicine is a telephone-based practice where patients are invited to call doctors for medical advice. Members of MPS are advised not to participate in commercial telemedicine services – it is highly unlikely that we would assist any HPCSA-registered member with any problems that arise from participation in such services. The HPCSA has not approved “Hello Doctor”, which is


not registered as a medical service in South Africa. Citing risks to patient confidentiality, continuity of care and the process of obtaining valid consent, the HPCSA has said that it will not approve the service and urged all registered doctors to avoid involvement with “Hello Doctor” or any similar operation. New telemedicine guidelines are due from the HPCSA,


who asked for the business models of “Hello Doctor” and other companies offering telemedicine. Visit both www.medicalprotection.org and


www.hpcsa.co.za for the complete statements from MPS and the HPCSA.


Last month’s fatal stabbing of Dr Senzosenkosi Mkhize at the Middleburg Hospital in Mpumalanga has prompted fresh calls to improve security in the country’s hospitals. Poppy Ramathuba, chairperson of the South


African Medical Association (SAMA), raised doubts over the tenders used in employing security firms at hospitals, saying that they favour profits over quality. The HPCSA, meanwhile, has warned the ongoing


safety issue for doctors in South Africa may force more of them to work overseas, as they fear for their lives. JUDASA added to the outcry, issuing a press release


that said: “We have…run out of patience to mourn the killing, raping and mugging of doctors at South African public hospitals. The recent slaughtering of Dr Senzo Mkhize at Middleburg Hospital is the last straw. We can no longer afford to wait until another doctor’s life is put in danger at their place of work.” The organisation added that it has repeatedly called


on the Department of Health to install metal detectors at hospital entrances, to help detect dangerous weapons that may be carried in members of the public. The press release poured scorn on the current practice, where security guards check health workers while members of the public escape scrutiny.


UPDATE


JUNIOR DOCTOR | VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 1 | 2011 | SOUTH AFRICA www.medicalprotection.org


STEFANOLUNARDI/SHUTTERSTOCK


© SØREN FAURBY/SXC.HU


© EDWARD MOSS


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