The development of a robust risk management plan for the continuous supply of water to hospitals in the Western Cape Province

Abstract

The objective of this research is to develop a robust water supply risk management and response plan for Somerset Hospital that reflects the institution’s specific requirements, and to prepare general guidelines for the Western Cape Government Health Department in order to assist in developing risk management and response plans for all of its health care facilities. This will enable the Western Cape Government Health Department to be resilient in withstanding gradual systemic shocks and major crises in the supply of water to hospitals. The methodology is based on ISO 31000:2009, but it extends the approach using historical evaluations and a business impact analysis. Through the research it has become evident that one public sector in South Africa still lacks proper risk management planning, and that, on the whole, there is a global void in research into water resilience, especially that focusing on health care facilities.

Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om ’n robuuste watervoorsiening risikobestuur en reaksieplan vir Somerset Hospitaal te ontwikkel wat die instelling se spesifieke behoeftes aanspreek. Die navorsing gee ook algemene riglyne om die Wes-Kaap se Departement van Gesondheid te adviseer met die ontwikkeling van planne vir gesondheidsorginstellings. Dit sal die Wes-Kaap se Departement van Gesondheid in staat stel om geleidelike sistemiese skokke en die vernaamste krisisse ten opsigte van water voorsiening aan hospitale te weerstaan. Die metodiek is gebaseer op ISO31000:2009, en brei die benadering uit met historiese evaluasie en besigheid impak-analise. Die navorsing toon dat die publieke sektor in Suid-Afrika tekort skiet in risikobestuurbeplanning en ’n internasionale gaping bestaan in navorsing oor waterweerbaarheid met die fokus op gesondheidsorgfasiliteite.