Decentralised human resource management in a district health system: case studies in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

The effective management of the public health workforce, in the context of decentralisation and the District Health System, is pivotal to the delivery of primary health care and, ultimately, improved health. This research investigates the phenomena of human resource management in the public health sector, focussing on the factors influencing human resource management (HRM), the internal alignment within the HRM Programme and external alignment with the strategic objectives of the organisation. It takes a frontline perspective to understand how the phenomenon is experienced in a decentralised District Health System.