Hospitals borrowing equipment to pass inspections poses safety risk, warns Health Standards Compliance Office

Tasleem Gierdien

Tasleem Gierdien

9 October 2025 | 8:35

Health inspectors have found that some hospitals and clinics temporarily borrow medical equipment and devices between departments to meet inspection requirements, which could compromise patient safety.

Hospitals borrowing equipment to pass inspections poses safety risk, warns Health Standards Compliance Office

Picture: Pexels/Arash Iyone 12411911

The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) has raised red flags over hospitals and clinics sharing medical equipment, warning that the practice undermines patient care and gives a false impression of compliance with health standards.

The regulator says it plans to intensify unannounced inspections to curb the problem.
According to Doctor Siphiwe Mndaweni, CEO of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC), this "creates a sense of false impression that a particular standard is adhered to... It's really borrowing equipment and moving things around. Inspectors themselves spot these instances as they conduct inspections, and they are significant enough for us to raise concerns around them."
To help combat this issue, Mndaweni says the OHSC will conduct more unannounced inspections, specifically targeting facilities not adhering to the required standards.
As regulators, the OHSC is authorised to take enforcement action against hospitals or clinics due to non-compliance, which may include disqualifying hospitals, issuing written warnings, and a compliance notice to ensure that issues of non-compliance are addressed to the required standards.
Doctor Nicholas Crisp, Deputy Director-General of the National Health Insurance division at the Department of Health, says, "these allegations are not new to the Department" as they have been raised in Parliament, which has been "investigated every time and followed up."
"We work closely with the regulator, and we are concerned about how to build proper quality management. Inspection is not only about inspection, but it's also about making sure that standards are improving all the time."
He mentions that some facilities are excellent, but others are quite shocking, and the main challenge is to ensure the Health Department recognises these gaps and addresses them matters.

To listen to Doctor Siphiwe Mndaweni, CEO of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) and Doctor Nicholas Crisp Deputy Director-General of the National Health Insurance division at the Department of Health in conversation with Bongani Bingwa on 702's Breakfast show, click on the audio below:

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