National Health Act, 2003 (Act No. 61 of 2003)RegulationsRegulations relating to Categories of Hospitals3. District hospitals |
(1) | District hospitals are categorised into small, medium and large district hospitals with the following number of beds: |
(a) | small district hospitals with no less than 50 beds and no more than 150 beds; |
(b) | medium size district hospitals with more than 150 beds and no more than 300 beds; and |
(c) | large district hospitals with no less than 300 beds and no more than 600 beds. |
(2) | A district hospital must— |
(a) | serve a defined population within a health district and supports primary health care; |
(b) | provide a district hospital package of care on a 24 hour basis; |
(c) | have general practitioners and clinical nurse practitioners providing health services; |
(d) | provide services that include in-patient and ambulatory health services as well as emergency health services. |
(3) | A district hospital receives outreach and support from general specialists based at regional hospitals. |
(4) | A district hospital may only provide the following specialist services— |
(a) | paediatric health services, |
(b) | obstetrics and gynaecology, |
(c) | internal medicine; and |
(d) | general surgery. |