What does a turn around strategy actually mean? It means to turn a negative way of doing things, into a positive way of doing things. The MEC, Hope Papa, recently stated that his department has struggled tremendously over the past years to turn around the way of doing things from how they are currently done, to a more efficient way to ensure proper and fast deliveries and services to customers. These services include medical services deliveries, the maintaining of medical appliances, as well as delivering of medicines and other drugs to those who need it.
Previously deliveries were held back, because certain medical companies did not receive timeous payment for the things needed, and there has been a backlog of goods received since, but no payment to the people who supply it. Now Hope Papa states that the strategy of turning things around will eliminate poor delivery services which are currently a big problem, into fast efficient service for all those that were affected by this poor service in the past. Health insurance and business insurance also suffers from poor service delivery, as they would have to pay out claims in the event of non-delivery. The same goes for life insurance and even car insurance policies. All sectors are affected by a state department’s lack of service delivery and the amounts that are paid out in claims become more and more ridiculous and unnecessary. Luckily, home insurance policies are largely exempt from these types of non-service issues.
However, steady progress has already been made since the start of this strategy. It has been launched in several places in and around the Gauteng Province. The Gauteng Department also settled most of the unpaid debts, to those who deliver the necessary items or products that are desperately needed. And the department is now working towards that goal of making payments strictly within 30 days of receiving invoices.
The stocks needed for certain drugs have already showed a positive trend of an increase from about 40 percent, to that of nearly 80 percent. Which is a tremendous upwards improvement from previous years. And they are still working on it, to go for a higher percentage. The vacancies they had, for Senior Management has also been filled with competent people who have the experience and drive to make a success of this project.