CDU Services from 3 to 13 April 2012

As of 1 April 2012, Western Cape Government Health appointed a new service provider for the prepacking of chronic medication. This is not a new service to patients but a new service provider contracted to the department to render the existing service.

The complexity of the data transfer from the previous to the new provider, together with the sophisticated new equipment that has been commissioned by the service provider, has negatively affected the contractor's ability to deliver the required approximately 175 000 patient parcels a month to 118 of the department's facilities, most of which are located in the Metropole.

In March, the department took steps to ease delivery of the number of patient parcels/prescriptions during the transitional period, particularly at the commencement of this contract by issuing two month's supply of medicines to a significant number of patients. This has relieved some of the need for patients to collect their new month's supply of medicines during the first two weeks of April. However, employees of the department and the service provider are now dispensing medicines manually until the automated dispensing system is running at full capacity. The manual dispensing activity is anticipated to continue for a period of two weeks.

Due to the delay in the full functioning of the automated system, the department is asking for patients' co-operation. A request is made by the department to patients who would have collected their medicine parcels on Friday, 6 April, and Monday, 9 April, at facilities, to collect them on Friday, 13 April 2012, as long as they have adequate medicine supplies to last until 13 April 2012. In the event of patients not having an adequate supply of medicines, they should immediately go to their nearest facility for additional supply of their medicines for their chronic conditions as an interim measure until 13 April 2012.

In the event of a patient being unable to access medicines for their chronic conditions, the department has established a helpline to assist patients during this period. The helpline is manned by a pharmacist, whom will be able to give telephonic advice regarding the nearest facility that provides 24-hour services. The helpline number is 083 472 9300.