The retention of community service officers for an additional year at district hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces

Abstract

Background: Community service (CS) is an effective recruitment strategy for underserved areas, using legislation as the driver; however, it is not a retention strategy. By the end of each year, most CS officers working in district hospitals (DHs) are skilled, valued and valuable members of the health team, able to cope with the demands of working in the public health service within the resources available at DHs. Their exodus at the end of each annual cycle represents a net loss of valuable skills and experience by the public service, measured by the time and effort required to orientate and induct the following cohort of CS officers. This in turn has a negative effect on the level of service delivery and the quality of patient care.