Historic agreement signed with provincial health department
SIGNED: CPUT and the provincial department of health have signed an important Bilateral Agreement.
Thursday, 26 November 2020
CPUT and the Western Cape Government Department of Health have signed an important agreement pertaining to teaching, training and research opportunities for students in the health sciences.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, and the Head of Health in the Western Cape, Dr Keith Cloete. signed the Bilateral Agreement (BLA) on 19 November.
Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, said the agreement is essential “to ensure the ongoing education of students in our programmes that need access to the provincial clinical platform for the workplace learning component of the programme”.
She said the signing of the BLA follows a Multi-Lateral Agreement (MLA) signed between five parties: Western Cape Government Health, CPUT, Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape, a few years ago.
“The MLA is an agreement to establish the rules of engagement for the education of healthcare professionals at the four higher education institutions, in cooperation with the Department of Health in the province, so as to ensure equitable access to the clinical platform.”
Following the signing of the MLA there was a lengthy process of engagement until each institution signed a BLA with the Western Cape Government: Health.
“The BLAs at the four higher education institutions are premised on the 12 principles agreed to between the parties and move us in the direction of a strong partnership with a more equitable approach to funding, student placements, joint appointments, etc.”
The departments within the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences that are directly involved are Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences and Emergency Medical Sciences while Nursing will also be an important stakeholder in the agreement. Engel-Hills said Dental Sciences has peripheral involvement and Ophthalmic Sciences may become part of the agreement with the offering of new programmes.
In a post on the Western Cape Government Health Facebook page, Dr Saadiq Kariem, Western Cape Government Health Chief of Operations, described the signing as a historic moment and stated: “This agreement will establish governance structures between CPUT and Western Cape Government Health. We have an existing platform, but now we have a formal agreement on what our students will do in our facilities, a code of training, the types of training they will receive and from whom they can expect training”.
Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: Frederickskennediji@cput.ac.za
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