Witrand hosts successful strategic planning session

Witrand Special Hospital recently hosted a very successful three-day strategic planning Lekgotla at The Roots under the leadership of Witrand CEO Moipone Mpolokeng. The Strategic Planning “Lekgotla” provided the hospital with a forum for robust discussions, a review of previous circles, and a discussion on the hospital’s collective strategy for this financial year 2022/2023.

“One thing that resonates with the uniqueness of Witrand Hospital Lekgotla is the teamwork, active participation by all who attended and vibrant discussions and resolute outcomes strategy mapped out,” Nico Masiu, Witrand spokesperson said.

Throughout the strategic plan, teams engaged in team-building exercises that brought synergy and common goals. Among those present were Hospital Board Members, Labour Unions, Hospital Management, Program Managers, and Hospital Health Workers.

Although, last financial year, the hospital suffered the impact of covid19, let alone the worker’s strike which had devastating effects on everyone including patients. Witrand achieved the following for 2021/2022:

• Witrand Hospital is the only public health facility that provides improved professional and highly specialized Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Intellectual Disability and availability of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric in- and Outpatient services in the North West Province.
• Their vaccination site provides COVID-19 management for psychiatric patients. “We had a huge turn-up at the vaccination site, coupled with excellent outreaches to the public,” Masiu added. 
• Witrand Hospital Revenue collections were above target and are the only institution to retain about R80.2 million of its revenue share in its coffers. This was also recognized by the Health MEC Madoda Sambatha during the Provincial Department of Health Budget Speech on 19 May 2022 just to mention a few.

“We will forever remain indebted to our staff members who, through difficult times managed to soldier on and maintain our culture of putting our patients first,’’ Mpolokeng said.

“Your selflessness will always be a shining armour as you remain resolute despite the covid19 pandemic,” she added. 

The strategic planning outcomes to be implemented this financial year takes into account the limited budget and other external environmental factors.

Witrand Hospital priorities areas for this financial year 2022/2023:

Strategic Clinical Focus:  

To ensure access to 24-hour Mental Health Care Services by developing a 24-hour admission of Mental Health Care (psychiatric) for Users. The strategic move to achieve Ideal hospital realization and maintenance of quality framework compliance, including norms and standards.

Mass procurement of quality linen strictly for their patients and implementation of food service tools to ensure patient diet and adequate food supply.  Ensure complete renovations and handover of Kitchen, mortuary and other planned capital projects as a matter of urgency.

Witrand 100 Year’s Celebration: 

Witrand hospital will be celebrating 100 years next year, one of the strategic issues that resonate with this centenary is the hospital name change and internal street name changes concept. A lot needs to be done in terms of the hospital infrastructure and its monumental history of the hospital.

Statutory Maintenance Projects:  

Strategic Identification of statutory maintenance projects such as hospital water reservoir, Renovations of Seclusion Rooms, Installation of CCTV Cameras, and Improvement of energy systems (solar panel) to avoid load-shedding challenges etc.

Human Resource: 

The hospital will move towards the strategic realisation of human resources that are highly skilled and well capacitated. “We will strive for a labour peace environment in order to carry forth the strategic objectives of the hospital with an effective, efficient health care workforce,”  Masiu said.

The strategy is to appoint the relevant personnel in key positions with adequate skills for the proper execution of delegations to meet our goals. This includes among other maintenance managers, corporate service managers, state accountants, labour relations managers etc. To provide soft skills to heads of departments for the realization of organizational goals.

Innovative ways to improve staff morale:

Implement a strategy to increase staff morale by Improving work culture and the environment through the involvement of institutions such as Potchefstroom University Research Unit, Psychology unit to undertake a culture survey, Implement recommendations from the culture survey in a phased-in approach.

Implement a budget in line with a strategic plan: 

Over time, Witrand Specialised Hospital budget has not increased in line with inflation and although, prices increased as per contractual service providers.

Yet, the hospital has planned to provide strategic sound financial management and ensure procurement that provides value for money, with the effective competition that is transparent and in accordance with ethical and fair dealing standards.

“We want to ensure a responsive, yet accountable running of administrative finances and meets the reporting requirements without fail,”  Masiu explained. 

“Above all, we are going to employ a strategy gunning for a clean audit, improved asset management, and effective and efficient use of resources. This we will monitor and evaluate on a quarterly basis,” he added.

In closing Lekgotla, all Witrand hospital employees who attended the Strategic Planning Lekgotla read and signed the service charter as a pledge to duly serve with compassion and to continue and preserve the dignity of patients. To serve without prejudice, ensure the interest of our patients comes first, and above all save lives.