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Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis
Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo. 2025. Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132541
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613759056379904 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo |
| author2 | Hall, Susan |
| author_browse | Hall, Susan Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo |
| author_facet | Hall, Susan Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo |
| author_sort | Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo. 2025. Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132541 |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132541 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:14.564Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132541 Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo Hall, Susan Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Applied Ethics. Health services accessibility -- South Africa Medical referral -- South Africa Medical ethics -- South Africa Public health -- Moral and ethical aspects UCTD Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo. 2025. Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132541 Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Access to healthcare in South Africa is described in the Constitution of the country as a basic human right. This right is applicable to all who live in South Africa, regardless of race, culture or immigration status. It is an obligation of the state to ensure that the right to healthcare is progressively fulfilled. South Africa has a history of discrimination based on race, which determined where people could live, their access to resources such as education and healthcare, and the economic status of individuals. The dawn of democracy in South Africa led to reforms to public institutions, and this included healthcare institutions. Healthcare reforms were aimed at achieving the goal of “Health for All” as declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO). As part of healthcare reform, integration of the previously segregated healthcare systems resulted in the adoption of the referral system for South African healthcare services, which links different levels of healthcare institutions. The referral system is meant to be a vehicle to promote equal access to healthcare for all members of society, and also to promote quality healthcare, at a low cost or no cost at all. Through the referral system, patients are able to access necessary care and manage chronic conditions through primary healthcare institutions, which are entry points into public healthcare. The aim of this thesis is to ethically evaluate the functioning and the effectiveness of the referral system in public healthcare. The healthcare system in South Africa, especially public healthcare, is inundated with complaints about the dysfunction of the system and lack of service delivery. This thesis will attempt to evaluate whether the reforms adopted in the public healthcare system in this country are suitable and appropriate. The argument presented will be make use of John Rawls’s theory of justice, as well as Norman Daniels’ application of this theory to justice in healthcare. This thesis will argue that these health reforms need to be re-evaluated so that they can be effective for the public healthcare system. It is therefore the obligation of the state to ensure that such a re-evaluation takes place. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2025-06-11T05:35:39Z 2025-06-11T05:35:39Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132541 en Stellenbosch University 63 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Health services accessibility -- South Africa Medical referral -- South Africa Medical ethics -- South Africa Public health -- Moral and ethical aspects UCTD Nkomo, Phumelele Ntokozo Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis |
| title | Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis |
| title_full | Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis |
| title_fullStr | Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis |
| title_short | Is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in South Africa? an ethical analysis |
| title_sort | is the referral system appropriate for public healthcare in south africa an ethical analysis |
| topic | Health services accessibility -- South Africa Medical referral -- South Africa Medical ethics -- South Africa Public health -- Moral and ethical aspects UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132541 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nkomophumelelentokozo isthereferralsystemappropriateforpublichealthcareinsouthafricaanethicalanalysis |