Abstract

PAGOLLANG MOTLOBA, D; GWENGU, Pumela Rocky-Queen  and  MOIPOLAI, Pusetso D. Inaccessible specialised oral health services in South Africa - rationing policy uncertainty. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2023, vol.78, n.8, pp.414-418. ISSN 0375-1562.

BACKGROUND: Rationing by waiting lists is associated with patient costs such as pain, anxiety and poor health outcomes. Rationing is indicative of a mismatch between the demands and resources to service patients' needs. Long waiting times for specialised oral health services are concerning and unjustifiable. The majority of oral health care services are devoid of an explicit policy and mechanism to address this problem. This paper attempts to provide the ethical basis for waiting times. That is, whether the mechanisms used in the allocation of services (or placing patients on waiting lists) is consistent with ethical principles METHODOLOGY: The focus of the discussion will be on the theories of justice, which better explicate fairness, especially in the rationing of scarce resources. Among the dominant theories discussed are utilitarianism, egalitarianism and maximin CONCLUSION: Waiting times for specialised oral health services can be long, arduous and indefinite. This form of rationing can be viewed as unjust given the lack of transparent and objective policies and guidelines. The oral health services must develop and implement appropriate rationing regimes to strengthen equitable access to services and allocation of scarce resources

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