Labour brokers for nurses should not be banned without investigating the consequences for health care

The ANC's plan to scrap labour brokers has particular implications for health care and the ANC is being grossly irresponsible to turn a blind eye to this. In Gauteng, public hospitals have already been told to begin phasing out the use of nursing agencies for certain categories of nurses. This is a major decision with potentially severe repercussions, but no attempt has been made to study the possible consequences.

The DA calls on the minister of health to instruct provinces not to proceed any further with the removal of nursing agencies until it has conducted a study into the effects on quality of public health care and provincial finances. 

As with many ANC policies, a radical policy change is being implemented on ideological grounds, with no consideration for the practical effects. One nursing agency which has approached us has 50 000 nurses on its books, and it works in both the public and private sectors. There are several other agencies operating, so scrapping them will have immediate consequences for these nurses' jobs, as well as further repercussions for the economy and for health care.

Hospitals' staff requirements vary enormously from day to day and it is practical and sensible to use agencies. If agencies are banned it is likely that both public and private hospitals will have to either increase their costs by hiring full time staff who will not always be needed, or decrease quality of care by having fewer nurses available.

This poses a particular problem for public hospitals with high vacancy levels. They often struggle a great deal to fill permanent posts, because of poor conditions, but are able to find agency nurses on a part time basis. If they can no longer use agencies, quality will be compromised.

Statement issued by Mike Waters, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of health, October 12 2009

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